My Redemption
by HerBigGreenEyes
Summary: When Jay is admitted back into school, can he prove his worth to his teachers, classmates, and a certain girl from his past? JEMMA and some Malex.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I do not own the rights to Degrassi, this is merely for my own kicks.

A/N: I wrote this fanfic for another site, but I wanted to share it with the fab people here! A few things you should keep in mind for my story: it takes place in season 6 and I'm starting fresh, so Sean never returned from Wasega. Peter and Emma never dated, and all thoughts are italics. Hope you enjoy!

----

Jay's orange civic pulls into the Degrassi high parking lot. He turns down his stereo and parks his car. Getting out of his car and walking up the steps, Jay briefly stops to take a deep breath.

_Man, this is your last chance, don't screw it up._

He walks into the building and heads straight for the principal's office. Jay knocks on the door quietly. "Um, Mrs. H, you in there?"

"Oh, please come in Jayson. Sit down." Jay sits down in the chair closest to the door and crosses his arms over his chest. Mrs. H waits for him to look her in the eye before continuing. "You do realize that only after careful consideration, I've decided to give you one more attempt to earn your diploma. Just remember that I will be watching you like a hawk, Mr. Hogart. If I see you bullying another student or causing any sort of trouble, you're gone. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good. Now here is your schedule. May I suggest that you actually attend all of your classes this year? Good luck." She hands Jay his schedule and shoos him from her office.

_This is more serious than I thought. I'm really going to have to watch my own back this year, cause this is it._ Jay peers down at his schedule. _Let's see, first period: English with Ms. Kwan._ He groans loudly. _And I thought this day couldn't get any worse._

He hears that warning bell ring and walks in the direction of Ms. Kwan's room. When he turns the corner, Jay runs into someone. "Hey! Watch where you're going, I'm walking here!" He looks up and gulps, because he sees no other than a one Miss Emma Nelson.

"I'm not surprised that its YOU that I've just ran into...wait, actually I AM surprised. Jay, what are you doing back at Degrassi? Come to prey on your newest victim?"

Jay's hurt, but he quickly hides it, putting on a calm façade. _I can't let her see how easily she can affect me._ "Ha ha. No, I'm actually here because I'm a student again. I really need to graduate high school so that I can land a better job. Can't be a thug for the rest of my life, now can I?"

For a brief moment Emma face wears shock, but it soon fades into a glare. "With you, one may never know." With that, Emma heads off in the other direction, leaving a jaded Jay behind.

_So much for a welcome back to Degrassi, Jay._


	2. Chapter 2

By lunchtime, everyone at Degrassi had heard that the notorious bully himself had returned. Jay surprised both his classmates and teachers by not only showing up to all of his morning classes, but also for attempting to participate in a few of them. It was so unlike Jay. Rumors were flying around that he must have some plan up his sleeve to cause more problems for the school.

Emma entered the cafeteria and headed towards the table where she saw Manny and Peter sitting. "Hey guys, what's up?"

Manny lowered her voice so that just the three of them could hear her speak. "Did you guys hear that Jay Hogart is back? I can't believe they let that creep back into school!"

"Yeah, actually I ran into him this morning. Literally."

"Oh my gosh, Em! What did he say? I'm sure it wasn't pleasant." 

Emma sighed, causing Manny and Peter to look at her concerned. "He just wants to finish school. I think if we leave him alone, then he'll leave us alone and stay out of trouble."

Peter spoke up. "Are you defending him, Emma? After all that he did to you last year? That guy's middle name is trouble. You know it, we know it, and Jay knows it, too. Sooner than later, he's bound to screw up."

"That's not what I meant. I'm just saying that if we let Jay be, maybe he won't be tempted to cause problems and stay focused." At that point, Manny laughed.

"Jay, focused?! Unless you're referring to his need to spread gonorrhea to every girl at Degrassi, I'd say Jay lacks focus." 

"Whatever," Emma said with a huff and then took a bite of her sandwich. _People can change._

Just then Jay walked into the cafeteria, causing an eerie silence to pervade the room. Everyone was looking at him. Jay shook his head and went to sit by himself in the back. _Man, don't these people have anything better to do?_ He shook his head again and the cafeteria returned to normal. As he reached into his backpack to pull out his mp3 player, Jay felt eyes burning into him. He glanced up to see Emma, Santos, and some kid named Peter staring at him. While Santos and the kid were shooting daggers at him, Emma was gazing at him curiously. He sent her a soft smile. _Maybe there really is hope for me._ With that, Jay broke the eye contact, put on his headphones and started eating his own lunch.

--

The rest of the afternoon went smoothly. Jay yet again attended all of his classes. He even attended his free period at the end of the day, which served as a huge temptation to skip. But he stuck it out, trying his best to stay on good terms with Mrs. H. When the final bell rang, most of the students rushed out the school's front doors to get home as quickly as they could. Jay, on the other hand, leisurely strolled through the hall in the direction of his locker. He spotted Mrs. H walking towards him.

"Jayson." 

"Mrs. H."

"I'm pleased to hear that you've made some improvements on your school habits. Keep up the good work."

"Yes, ma'am." Jay opened his locker and took out the textbooks he would need to complete his homework. Yes, he was actually going to do his homework. He shut the locker and turned to leave, but was interrupted by a girl's voice.

"Is that a textbook you're holding? Have you run out of firewood to keep you warm at night?" Manny asked with a smirk on her face. 

Jay rolled his eyes. He was about to tell her that he was going to study, but thought better of it. _Can't let Santos think I've gone soft._ "Actually Santos, I've heard somewhere that women are attracted to intelligence. But then again, maybe you wouldn't know anything about that, now would you?" He smirked at Manny's crestfallen face. _Hmm, I guess I was a little harsh. Old habits die hard, huh? Maybe I should apologize._ "Jeez, lighten up. I was only kidding."

"You've got a nice way of showing it."

"Oh, hey Em, where'd you come from?"

"My locker. So I see that you're still the same old Jay, always putting down others so that you can feel better about yourself," Emma said disappointedly. _And here I thought he was actually different. Guess I was wrong._

"But-" 

"Save it, Jay. Come on Manny, let's go home." She grabbed Manny's hand and led her outside, walking in the direction of their house. Jay watched them go.

_Good one, Hogart. You sure do know how to mess things up. Stop being such a scared pansy ass and talk to her. Break down that protective wall you've built around yourself, it will only hurt you both more. If only it were that easy…_ Jay picked up his bag and headed out to his civic. He went home and sat down at his kitchen table, starting his first day's worth of homework. _This sucks._

Meanwhile at Emma's house:

"Gosh, he is such a jerk! I knew he hadn't changed at all." Manny complained.

"I saw you badger him first, Manny. I warned you not to rile him up, but you chose not to listen." Emma let out a frustrated sigh. "However, he still had no right to say that; it was completely out of line. I'm sorry, Manny." _I sure hope he is, too._


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: For the reviewer that asked, yes, I did post this story on the-n! I'm glad you liked it.

--

Over the course of the next few days, Emma and Manny avoided Jay while Jay kept to himself. He continued to receive encouraging smiles and remarks from Mrs. H. Jay was trying his best to do well in his classes, but there were still some subjects in which he was struggling, particularly English. No matter how much he tried, he still couldn't understand the themes of the novels assigned in class. When Ms. Kwan handed back old writing assignments, she left a note on Jay's paper saying she wanted to speak with him after class. Jay groaned. _Great, I can't wait to hear a pep talk from Ms. Kwan! Isn't it bad enough that I have to put up with Mrs. H everyday?"_ The bell rang and students hurried out of the class. Jay stopped at the teacher's desk. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, Jayson. I've noticed that you have been struggling with some of the assignments. I think you should consider meeting with a tutor at least once a week. When is your free period?"

"It's my la-" Ms. Kwan cut him off.

"Good. I'll send a tutor to the library this afternoon. Please make sure that you don't skip out on them," she said in a condescending tone.

Jay nodded his head and exited the room. _She thinks I need a tutor? This is ridiculous. No way will Jay Hogart be schooled by some nerdy frosh with nothing better to do with his time. But all this English stuff is tough and I need to keep my grades up so I can get the hell out of this place. Okay, let's see what lucky kid Kwan thinks may help boost my marks…_

The day flew by and before he knew it, Jay found himself entering Degrassi's library. _Never pictured myself coming here to study, after all, where is the fun in that? All those stacks, on the other hand, can be a lot of fun, especially when you're with the right girl… _Jay chuckled to himself as he walked over to one of the empty study tables and sat down. He looked around the room, only to see a couple of students on the computer. _No sign of my tutor, I guess they bailed. Why am I here again? _Jay sat back and began to drum his fingers on the surface. After ten minutes had passed, Jay gathered his things and went to leave. He was about to open the door when someone walked through it.

"Sorry I'm late, I was held up by Mr. Perrino…"

"You. You're my tutor?" Jay replied.


	4. Chapter 4

"But…"

"Cat got your tongue, Jay? Or is that gonorrhea, perhaps?"

"Shut up. What the hell are you doing here, Lexi? I thought you already graduated…" Jay asked dumbfounded.

"I did," Alex replied, "but if I ever want to be accepted into a good university, I'll have to improve my marks. I'm here to replace my old grades. Just like you, I don't want to be a loser for the rest of my life."

"Huh. Who would've thought that a couple of thugs like us would willingly spend this much time in school?" he said jokingly.

Alex nodded her head. "I know. I think our former selves would've kicked our asses for even considering this. It's funny how things can change so quickly."

"Yeah, I hear ya. So, when did you get so good at English?" Jay raised an eyebrow at her. _Lexi never used to be into this stuff_.

"Ever since I was dying of boredom this summer. I picked up a new habit, and a good one at that: reading. Can you imagine me sitting down on the couch with my nose in a book? I'm still a bit shocked," she chuckled as Jay shook his head at her. "Well, let's get started. How far have you gotten in Franny and Zooey?"

The next hour flew by. Alex and Jay fell into a good rhythm and managed to stay focused on their discussion of the book for the entire period. They were so engrossed in their chat that they didn't even notice the bell ring. _Wow, Lexi is a really great teacher. I'm actually starting to understand some of this Salinger stuff! _After another five minutes of talking, Jay realized that the day was over. "Well, I guess that's it for today, Lexi. I never would've pictured you as the teaching type, but you've got some madd skillz. Damn!"

Alex chuckled at his grin. "Why thank you, Mr. Hogart. You're not a half-bad student yourself. It's too bad the same thing can't be said about your dating material," she said with a smirk.

"Hey, watch it Nuñez. You'll bruise my ego," he said as he placed a hand on his chest over his heart.

"So does this mean that we're friends again? Because I missed hanging with you. Who else can I constantly bad-mouth guilt-free?"

"Ha, funny," he said in a mock serious tone, but soon burst out laughing. "You know you want me."

"Lesbian here, remember?"

"Of course. Not that it matters anyway, since I already have my eye one somebody else."

"And would this certain someone happen to be Greenpeace?" Alex said with a small, knowing smile. Jay gaped at this statement.

"What?!!!"

"Look at that face, it's priceless! Oh please, Jayson. I know you better than that. So….whatcha gonna do about it, huh?"

"Nothing."

"That's it?"

"I can't give her what she deserves. Besides, after all that I put her through last year, how could she even like me? She's much better than that, better than me." Jay sighed and hung his head in silence.

Alex considered him for a moment. His arms were crossed over his chest in his typical Jay-way, and even though he appeared relaxed leaning back in his chair, his eyes were filled with sadness. If you didn't know him very well, you'd think there was nothing wrong with him; that he was just spacing out. But this was Alex: she could see right through him. "Wow, you're in deep, more so than I thought. You must really like her."

"Yeah, I do. But it doesn't matter, she hates me," Jay said dejectedly.

"You can't know that for sure. Have you even tried talking to her?"

"Sort of…every time I try to say something, she just cuts me off." Jay let out a frustrated sigh.

"Well, that's not good enough, Hogart. You need to try harder. You're not the same person that you were a year ago. Anyone with a fully-functional brain can notice that." She started laughing and continued. "Sure, you're still cocky as hell, but you've also got this mysterious Mr. Sensitive thing going on."

"Ha! In your dreams, Lexi."

"Yeah, keep trying to fool yourself, because you won't be foolin' me!"

"Thanks for the pep talk, Mom," Jay said sarcastically.

Alex answered with a smirk, "Anytime, son. So, meet me at the Dot later tonight? I'll be studying there for an upcoming history test with a few people," she said as she winked at Jay.

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea, Alex."

"Oh, grow a pair, would ya?"

"Fine, I'll be there at 7," he said with a huff.

"Fantastic. See you then, loverboy." Alex batted her eyelashes playfully and left the library, leaving Jay to roll his eyes at her.

_Great, now what am I going to say to Emma?_


	5. Chapter 5

Jay strolled into the Dot at a quarter of 7. He spotted Alex sitting at a large table by herself, surrounded by books. She was engrossed in some handouts and failed to notice Jay walking up to her, but soon looked up when she heard chuckling. "What?"

"Well, if it isn't granny Alex. Do you have a cane to go with those?"

"What do you mean, Jay?" Just then she realized that she was wearing the tiniest reading glasses, pushed onto the edge of her nose in the way that any elderly women would wear them. _Oops._ "Oh right, these old things? Don't they make me look smart?"

"You…smart? Never," Jay answered with a wink and then laughed.

"Hey! Shut your mouth, you. Now be a gentleman and get me some food. Fries!"

"Right away, cadet nerd," he said with a salute. He walked over to the counter and nodded to Spinner, who was working that night. "Hey Spin, can I get a strawberry milkshake and a large order of fries?"

"Sure, dude." They started talking about Jay's return to Degrassi and other guy stuff when Jay excused himself to go to the bathroom. Just then, the door to the Dot opened and in walked Liberty, Peter, Manny, and Emma. They saw Alex sitting down and walked over to her.

"Hey Alex, ready to get this show on the road?" Manny asked.

"Sure. By the way, I hope you don't mind that I asked somebody else to join us tonight." Everyone mumbled that it was fine. "Great! So let's get started."

Jay left the bathroom and walked back to the bar. He sat on a stool waiting for the food. Although he didn't yet notice that the others had arrived, he had been spotted.

"Oh look, Em, scum," Peter spat. "What is he doing here?" he asked no one in particular.

Alex spoke up," I invited him here. He's my guest and my friend and I don't want to hear any complaints or whining about it. If you don't like it, then you can leave."

"Gladly," Peter answered as he and Manny began to stand up.

"Sit down, guys. It's fine," Emma replied. She looked over at Jay, noting that he now had a milkshake and fries in his hands and was heading towards the table. She nervously adjusted her jacket and concentrated on her notes.

Jay paused briefly when he saw Emma. _I should've known that Alex would put me up to this tonight. Who does she think she is, some kind of matchmaker? Looks like we'll be having another chat soon. Well, here goes nothing…._ He handed the fries to Alex and sat down next to her, directly across from Emma. "There you are, mistress. Need anything else?" He asked as he took a sip of his shake.

"No, but thank you, kind sir," Alex said with a smile. Jay nodded his head and glanced at everyone else at the table. Peter and Manny were sending him equally strong death glares, Liberty seemed indifferent, Alex was concentrating on the textbook in front of her and Emma was carefully reading her notes, looking pensive. _Wow, she really is breathtakingly beautiful. Wait a sec, did I just put breathtaking and beautiful together when describing something? Hogart, you sap, you've really got it bad._ He was innocently gazing at her when he was suddenly interrupted by an angry outburst.

"I can't do this! I can't sit here with this creep any longer!" Manny yelled exasperatedly.

"Hey, I thought we weren't going to have any problems with my guest tonight. He's not even bothering you!" Alex replied with an angry glare.

"But you didn't tell us that your guest was this scum!" Peter spat.

"Oh and you're one to talk, Mr. 'I enjoy videotaping drunken girls topless and then forwarding the footage to every kid in school,'" Alex contested.

"That was last year! I'm not like that anymore."

Alex scoffed at that. "And so is Jay! Why won't you give him the chance?"

"Once a criminal, always a criminal," replied Manny.

"Hey! I'm sitting right here!" Jay interjected.

"And why aren't you gone?"

"ENOUGH! Let him be, guys. He's not hurting anyone!" Emma exclaimed frustrated. _This is getting extremely out of hand and he's not even doing anything wrong!_

"That's because he already hurt you," Peter said to Emma. "I can't believe you're defending this loser." Emma and Peter exchanged furious glares, neither one refusing to break eye contact.

Liberty decided to speak up at this point. "Umm, can we please get back to studying? We didn't come here to fight."

"You're absolutely right, Liberty," Emma said as she gathered her things and left the Dot.

The tension in the air surrounding the table was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. Peter and Manny were still fuming. Alex glanced at Jay, giving him her nod of approval. He got up from the table and ran after Emma. "Hey, wait up!"

"What do you want, Jay?" She said with her back turned to him. Her eyes were filled with tears and she didn't want him to see. _Emma, why do you care what Jay thinks of you so much? He hurt you, remember?_

Jay let out a deep breath he hadn't known he was holding. "I just wanted to say thanks for in there, sticking up for me. I don't deserve it," Jay said softly while placing his hands in his front pockets nervously.

"No, you don't. But then again, you didn't deserve being treated like that by my friends."

"Listen Em, I just wanted to apologize for everything I put you through in the past. I also wanted to tell you how much I admire you. Emma, you are the strongest person I know. You have recovered from so many horrible, frightening things: the shooting, anorexia, a social disease, and even having your heart broken by your first love. When times were rough, you didn't run away. You faced your problems head on to become the strong, brave girl we all know today. And without even realizing it, you have become a good influence on me. You make me want to become a better person. _There, I've said it all. Hogart, you liar, you know that's not everything, but it's enough for now._

Emma could no longer hold the tears in her eyes, allowing them to flow freely down her cheeks. _I can't believe he just said that to me. Now what do I do?_ "Wow, that was some speech, Jay. That must have taken some guts, especially considering that you don't seem the sensitive type." He chuckled at that. "I don't know what to say to you…"

"Yeah, this is a new thing for me, too. Who knew that I had this sappy side buried within this sexy body," he replied with a smirk.

Emma laughed. "I see some things never change."

"Can't help that I was born so charming and attractive."

Emma rolled her eyes at that statement, but turned serious once again. "Look Jay, don't change because of me. Make the changes because you genuinely want to."

"I do. I sorta like this new side of me."

"Me too," she replied quietly.

"So…friends?" He asked hopefully.

"Sure, I'd like that," she answered with a small smile. "Well, I'm gonna head home. See you tomorrow at school?"

"You bet," Jay said as he watched her leave, all the while sporting a large, goofy grin.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day at school, everybody couldn't keep their eyes off of Jay. Honestly, who could? He acted very unlike himself, walking with a bounce in his step, whistling and sporting a slight smile. It was as if he was an amiable person and it was really beginning to freak people out. He was opening his locker when he felt a light tap on his left shoulder. He turned around to see Alex with a confused look on her face.

"What's gotten into you? It's like you've just won a billion dollars or something. Spill."

"It's nothing really."

"Sure, whatever man," she said while rolling her eyes. Just then she saw Jay smile beyond its capacity, if that were even possible.

"Hey Em!"

Alex glanced over her shoulder, only to see the particular blonde in question. She looked at the mooneyes Jay was giving Emma and sent him a smirk. "Oh, now I get it. I'll leave you two lovebirds alone," giving him a wink. With that she walked away, leaving a slack-jawed Jay behind. He instantly paled and gulped.

"Hey, what was that all about?" Emma asked Jay. He snapped out of his daze, realizing that he had to keep it cool around her.

"Alex? I think Paige must've rubbed off on her, because she thinks that she can butt into everyone else's lives. So, how are you holding up?" he asked gently.

"Fine, I guess. Manny refused to speak to me when she came home from the Dot last night, but everything else is just peachy keen. You?"

"Never been better. At least now I know that everyone doesn't hate my guts," Jay said with a large grin, intently focusing on Emma. 

"They don't?" she asked with mock seriousness.

"Ouch. You wound me."

"I try."

"I was just referring to this new thing we've got going on," he said and gestured between them, making Emma blush slightly.

"Well unless I wanna be late, I'd better get to class. Save me a seat a lunch, would ya?"

"Seat? How about an entire table?" Jay said thinking about all the days he'd eaten alone. _Not today, Hogart._ Emma laughed at him.  
"Sure, if that makes you happy," she giggled. She turned and walked in the direction of her class.

"More than you'll ever know," he whispered with a grin and headed off to his own class.

--

When lunchtime arrived, Emma found Jay sitting at a table all by himself, just like he'd promised. As she started making her way over to him, she felt somebody grab her arm.

"Emma, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to eat lunch with a friend. It's not a crime, Peter." She pulled her arm from his grasp.

"He sure looks like a crook to me. And did I hear that correctly? Now you're friends with that lowlife! He's a bottom-feeder, Em. You are so much better than him," Peter spat.

"Our friendship is none of your concern. By the way, he extended a genuine apology to me, which is more than I can say for you. Later, Peter." She continued back towards Jay's table and sat down next to him, sighing.

Jay had been watching the entire exchange and couldn't help but smile at her defense of him. "Glad you could make it, Goldilocks," he said and then gently tugged her hair.

They ignored the buzz surrounding their table, totally engrossed in their own conversation. The students of Degrassi High were amazed and baffled at this new and highly unlikely friendship. One set of eyes glared furiously at the pair. _Who does she think she is? Soon, she'll realize who is best for her._


	7. Chapter 7

Jay had never felt more content in his entire life. The past couple of weeks had been great. He was doing well in school, even in English, thanks to his weekly tutor sessions with Alex. All of the teachers stopped nagging him, but most importantly, Mrs. H was off his back, clearly pleased with his progress. She wasn't the only one that was proud of his recent turnaround; the day before, Emma had admitted to Jay that she was extremely impressed by his dedication to his schoolwork. The two had been spending a lot of time together at school lately. If you wanted Alex's opinion, she'd say that they were practically inseparable. Sure, you could tell that Jay was trying to become a better man for Emma, but it was more than that. Jay had finally recovered the good side of himself that he had repressed for so long. Of course, only a select few could see the change, because after all Mr. Hogart did have an image to maintain.

Emma hadn't spoken to Peter since the day he confronted her in the cafeteria. Because she lived with Manny, it was hard to avoid interacting with her, but everyone could see that the relationship between them was strained. Emma was sad because she felt like she was losing her best friend, but she refused to give up her new friendship with Jay to repair the broken one she had with Manny. All she asked of Manny was that she try to move away from the past and give Jay a chance to prove himself. She knew in her heart that Manny couldn't hold a grudge forever. Emma would just have to wait it out.

Manny knew that she was being stubborn, yet she just couldn't get past the idea of Jay hanging around with her best friend. She hated to see her get hurt again, no less by him of all people. _Aren't you hurting her now by your refusal to accept her judgments? I can't lose my best friend, but I can't trust him either. Think Manny! Okay, I guess I'll just have to suck it up and have a little chat with someone who can help…_

_--_

Manny walked through the door of the Dot and noticed Alex sitting at the counter by herself. She was reading some notes and drinking a cup of coffee. Manny bounded over to her immediately and tapped her on the shoulder. "Alex, just the person I was looking for."

"Yo. For what do I owe this pleasure, Santos?" she asked with a smirk.

"I need my friend back," Manny whispered quickly.

"If you're looking for someone to comply with whatever scheme you've got up that puffy sleeve of yours, then you've got the wrong girl."

Manny glanced down at her sleeves and frowned. _My sleeves aren't that puffy, but it's not the point._ "Actually, that's not why I wanted to speak with you."

Alex scoffed at that remark. "Oh, really. Then what is it that you want? I don't have all day," she said while taking another sip of her coffee.

"I just need some reassurance. Tell me that you think he's changed."

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" she answered as she spotted Jay entering the restaurant.

"Hey Lexi…and um…Santos." Jay said nervously.

Alex gave him a nod and blurted, "Well, I have to stop by the library to pick up some things before it closes," she looked at her watch, " which is in half an hour. Catch you guys later. Listen up now. After I leave, don't tear each other to shreds. I wouldn't want to lose my best friend and Santos, you're too cute to harm." She winked at Manny.

As soon as Alex walked outside, Manny freaked. "Did she just hit on me?"

"Looks like," Jay replied. "I wouldn't worry about it, though. She's still pretty hung up on Paige."

"Right." Manny looked down awkwardly, but then quickly remembered her purpose. "Well now that I've run into you, I need to ask you something," she said looking pensive.

"Okay…shoot."

"What're you doing with Emma?"

_If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that question, I'd be the richest man alive!_ Jay let out a sigh. "We're friends."

"That's it? There's nothing else going on?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no, not yet."

"Yet?" Manny screeched.

"Look, if it wasn't already obvious to you, I've got feelings for Emma. Deep feelings. And before you say anything else, I just wanted to let you know that I have no intention of hurting her. Ever. She's my everything," Jay said with a small smile, thinking of his beautiful girl. Manny's next question threw him in for a loop.

"Do you love her?"

"What?" he said as he blinked.

"Do. You. Love. Her?" she asked pointedly, with extra emphasis on the third word.

"Yes," he replied so quietly that she barely heard it.

"Does she know?" was her next question.

"No." He paused. "We're just friends," he admitted, his voice laced with regret.

"Okay," Manny said simply.

"Okay, what?"

"I'll give you a chance, but if you screw this up, I will castrate you myself."

"Huh?" Jay wasn't sure he was hearing her correctly, and the last comment made him wince. _This chick is crazy!_

"I will stop objecting to this…thing…you have with Emma. You seem to really care for her, almost as much as I do. I love her, too, Jay. She's my best friend." Jay nodded in agreement. "I will even treat you in a civil manner around her, but don't expect much. I can't promise anything."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me another chance to prove myself," he replied, sending her a smile.

"Don't get sappy on me now, Jay. You're supposed to be the jerk, not me!"

"Yeah, you're right. Get out of here, Santos. Your presence is no longer wanted," he joked.

"Like I'd sit with you anyway…" Manny scoffed as she stood up to leave. She was halfway to the door when he called her name. "Yeah?"

"Your shoe is untied."

Manny looked down at her feet to inspect said shoe when she realized that she had been wearing flip-flops. "Ugh!" she exclaimed and rushed out the door. Jay chuckled and shook his head at her ditziness.


	8. Chapter 8

When Manny arrived home, she saw Emma reading a book on her bed. "Hey Em."

"Hey," Emma responded without looking up from her novel.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to tell you something. Important."

"Okay…" Emma said nervously as she set down her book. She glanced up at Manny to see her biting her bottom lip in thought.

"Look, I just wanted to apologize for acting like a supreme better-than-thou bitch lately. I just don't understand why you're being so nice to Jay."

"Manny, he's not the same person he was a year ago. When you get to know him better, you realize that Jay is this amazing guy hiding behind this bad-boy persona."

"I know, Em."

"But…wait. You…you do?" Emma said with disbelief.

"Yeah, you didn't let me finish before. I was going to say that I've never seen you look so happy, especially when I see you with him. So I decided to ask around, see if these changes are for real."

"And?" Emma asked hopefully.

"And I ended up talking to Jay himself. He's still a jerk."

"Manny…" Emma warned, sending her a small glare.

"But he really likes you, Em. You've brought out this different side of him," she glanced at Emma who was blushing. Manny smiled and continued, "If you can give him another chance, then so can I."

Emma grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah. You're my best friend, Em. If I can't trust your judgments, then whose can I trust?"

Emma squealed and jumped off the bed, pulling Manny into a huge bear hug.

"Need. To. Breathe." Manny groaned.

"Oh, sorry. I'm just so happy right now." She gushed.

"So I guess this means that you really like him, maybe even love him," Manny said with emphasis on love, dragging it out.

"Love may be a strong word, but I do like him," Emma said with a smile and then added, "A lot."

Manny rolled her eyes, but gave her best friend a knowing smile. _Whatever makes you sleep better at night, denial girl._

"Does this mean that you'll be nicer to Jay now?"

"I can't make any promises."

"Come on, Manny, please?"

"Oh all right, I'll try."

"Thank you, this means so much to me." Emma gave her another hug. "Now let's have a girls' night in and watch a movie. I'll order a pizza, too."

"You sure know how to win me over, don't you? Just know that if this is your attempt at a bribe…"

"Never," Emma said with a playful grin.

"…that it's totally working," Manny replied with a smirk.


	9. Chapter 9

Jay grabbed the textbooks he needed for his next class and shut his locker. He turned around to see his golden girl staring back at him with Santos in tow. They stood for a few moments seemingly losing track of time when they heard someone clearing their throat. 

"What's happening ladies? My, how you look lovely today, Santos." Manny just rolled her eyes and nodded her head in agreement.

"Hey! What about me?" pouted Emma.

"Gorgeous as always, Goldilocks," he said causing a huge grin to spread across her face. _I love that smile. I must make her do that as much as possible!_

"And what about me, Prince Charming, huh?" Alex interjected, suddenly appearing out of thin air and thereby breaking Jay from his thoughts of Emma.

"Psh, you've seen much better days, Lex." He was then punched in the arm by a stern looking Alex. Emma and Manny laughed at him. "Ow, that hurt you loony chick!"

"Yeah, well next time I'll make sure to hit you where it counts," Alex replied with a smirk, her eyes trailing down his body and then back up to his face. "So, it looks like you've expanded your posse, Hogart," she said while nodding at Manny. "How'd you do that? Slip her a Benjamin?"

"I wish," Manny scoffed.

"All I could spare was a twenty, but she took it anyway, didn't ya Santos?" he said and gave her a wink.

"I offered up ten bucks to make him stay away, but you can see how well that turned out," Manny responded.

"What can I say? No woman can resist the Hogart charm," he laughed, causing all three girls to roll their eyes.

"As enlightening as this conversation is, I've got places to be, people to see." Alex gave Manny a 'let's give them some time alone' look and said, "Coming Santos?"

"Uh yeah, sure. Bye Em, Jay," she managed to say before Alex grabbed her arm and pulled her down the hallway. They both chuckled at the sight before them.

Emma turned back to Jay. "Well, that was weird."

"Yeah. You know, I think Lexi is developing some sort of crush on Santos." 

"What? No, she can't be. Hmmm…do you really think so?" Emma asked curiously.

"Sure, why not? That girl's a feisty one, which is Alex's type." 

"Huh." 

"So Emma, I was wondering what you're doing after school today?" 

"Homework, most likely."

"Take a break and come to the park with me. I'll bring some food, so don't worry about skipping dinner. I promise not to bring anything that once had a face."

"Gross, Jay!" Emma shrieked disgustedly, making him laugh.

"Does that mean you'll come?"

"Yes, but on one condition."

"What's that, Em?"

"Don't call it a date," she said simply.

Jay tried to mask the hurt he knew was written all over his face. "Um, okay," he replied disappointedly. _She doesn't see me as anything more than a friend, does she?_

"Cool. I'll see you around 6-ish?"

"Yeah, see you then."

"Later Jay." As Emma walked away, she scolded herself. _Emma, what are you doing? You know that you want it to be a date, so why did you go and say that? Gosh, I'm so stupid!_

Jay stood at his locker with a frown on his face. _Rejected, man. Straight up._ He let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding and headed to his class. _I've gotta win her over, but how? Don't give up yet, Hogart._

After hearing the entire conversation and checking to make sure that the coast was clear, Peter stepped out of the shadows and grinned to himself.


	10. Chapter 10

_That loser doesn't stand a chance with MY Emma. No, I'm the only one for her, she'll see…_

Meanwhile, Jay couldn't concentrate in any of his classes, because his mind kept drifting to thoughts of Emma. At lunch, they didn't say much to each other since they were too focused on Manny and Alex's conversation. It was clear that the older girl was flirting with the younger, but Manny seemed oblivious. He watched Alex with fascination, seeing how her face would light up at every smile Manny sent her way. Their weekly tutoring session was this afternoon, so Jay decided that he would confront Alex about it. Jay fidgeted in his seat and for the briefest of moments, his leg brushed against Emma's. She quickly moved her leg away from him, blushing and then smiled ever so slightly that Jay barely noticed it. Barely. That small smile filled him with hope and he decided that he would make a move later that evening.

At the end of the school day, Jay entered the library and walked over to Alex.

"Hey there, stud. Have you finished reading Gatsby yet? Amazing, isn't it?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, it's okay. Look Lexi, I don't wanna talk about Gatsby and his undying love for his darling Daisy today. What's your deal with Santos?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Hogart."

"Cut the bull, Lex. Tell me what's really going on."

"Manny…she's…well…"

"Wow, so now you're on a first name basis with her, huh? She must really be under your skin," Jay teased.

"Is it that obvious?" Alex whispered while glancing around the room to ensure that no on was eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Nah…well, yes actually it is to anyone who is smart enough."

"Guess that leaves you out."

"Funny. But honestly, what's up with that?"

"I don't know, she's just so cute and sassy that I can't resist," she admitted honestly.

"Whatever floats your boat. There's just one major problem: she's straight."

"You think I don't know that? That's why it's so frustrating. I can't do anything but move on. Problem is that I can't; the more time I spend with her, the more I like."

"Good luck with that one, Lex. You're gonna need it."

Alex sighed. "I'll say. So what's this I hear about you going to the park with Emma tonight, and alone?" she said with a wink.

"Who told you that? Nevermind, I don't really need to ask. Santos is the gossip queen of Degrassi."

"Since Paige relinquished that position when she graduated, I'd have to agree with you."

"Relinquished? That's an awfully large word for you," he teased.

"Shut up! Stop avoiding the topic at hand here: You and Emma."

_Damn, she's good_. "Right. So I asked if she would meet me for dinner at the park. She agreed only if it wasn't considered a date," he said with a frown. "Guess I'm nothing more than a friend to her." _Yet._

"I wouldn't say that."

"We'll see." _I hope she's right_.

"Jolly good, old chap! Right time you've grown some berries," Alex joked in a British accent.

"Knock it off, your accent sucks. We both know that mine is way better," he said and then added for good measure," It's the bee's knees!" causing them both to laugh.

"And now we've hit a new low," Jay managed to say between laughs.

"Yeah, let's never speak of this again." Alex giggled.

"Agreed."


	11. Chapter 11

"Manny, I'm so nervous," Emma whispered while looking herself over in the mirror. _Must look fabulous without appearing that I've put too much effort into it._

"Why are you nervous? It's not like it's a date or anything; you said so yourself, denial girl." Manny gave Emma a smirk, only to have a shoe thrown at her in return. "Hey, watch it! Aspiring actresses can't have huge ugly bruises, you know."

"Manny…"

"Okay, fine, whatever. It's not a date! But you have to admit, you wish it were. You wouldn't be going through all this trouble if you didn't," she replied gesturing to the large pile of clothes littering the bed.

Emma glanced over to the bed and sighed, nodding at Manny. She looked at the clock on her nightstand and said, "Oh crap! I'm going to be late! See you later, Manny!" She grabbed her purse and ran up the stairs, almost tripping on the last step.

"Easy there, tiger. Don't wanna mess up that look you've just spent hours perfecting for your non-date." Before Emma could respond, she continued, "Now you two kids have fun! You so owe me details when you get home."

--

At the park, Jay had set up a blanket on top of a hill overlooking many trees and a small creek. The food he had made himself earlier tasted terrible, so he decided to order a vegetarian pizza instead. Glancing down at his cell phone, he noted that she was already ten minutes late. To pass the time, he began to hum and beat to the last song he listened to in his car, 'Country Grammar' by Nelly.

Emma arrived at the park a few minutes later and spied Jay. _Aww, he is so cute. _"Hey stranger," she said seductively and hopped onto the blanket, scaring Jay.

"Emma! Where'd you come from?"

"Why hello to you, too," she teased and lightly slugged him on the arm. "Mmm…what's this?" She reached over Jay and grabbed the pizza box.

"Hold on a sec, Goldilocks. Don't wanna get greasy pizza all over these pretty clothes, now do ya?"

"No."

"Here." He handed Emma some napkins.

"Thanks," she replied with a smile. They began to eat, meanwhile Emma enjoying the view of the park and Jay enjoying the sight of Emma.

_Man, she is gorgeous!_ "So how's the food?"

"Delicious," she said as she took another bite.

"That's great, because you wouldn't have said the same about what I'd made."

Emma slowly swallowed her pizza and looked over at Jay, clearly surprised. "You cooked?"

"Yeah, but it was gross. I thought I'd spare you…"

"Gosh, that is so incredibly sweet, Jay."

"No, it was quite bitter actually."

Emma playfully slapped him. "Shut up! You know what I meant. You…cooked…for me."

Jay grinned and reached for Emma's hand. When she didn't pull away, he brushed his fingers across her knuckles. Suddenly feeling bold, he leaned in and gently placed his lips on Emma's. They shared a sweet kiss, both giving into their feelings for each other. However, the blissful moment was short lived when Emma's eyes snapped open, realizing what she was doing. She pushed herself away from Jay and started to run away, leaving Jay to stare after her in confusion.

_Get up dude, you need to catch her_. "Emma, wait!" Jay yelled as he ran after her. She started down the hill at a quick pace, so Jay pushed himself to full speed. "Emma!"

She abruptly stopped but didn't turn to face him, her eyes swelling with tears. Jay gently grabbed her arm, pulling her around so that he could look into her eyes. Unfortunately, she had them closed tight. "Emma, what's wrong?" He cupped her left cheek and wiped a loose tear away with his thumb.

A jolt soared through her body at his tender touch. When Emma finally looked up, her own eyes met with a pair of concerned blue ones. _I've never seen anyone look at me in such a way before…_ Just as she was about to speak, Jay cut her off.

"I'm sorry, Emma."

"Wh-what?" She blinked.

"I'm sorry for everything that happened between us last year. If I could, I would take it all back. You don't deserve that sort of treatment. You should be treated like the goddess that you are."

Emma blushed. "I'm no goddess, only human. We all make mistakes."

Jay frowned at that statement, yet carried on, "I won't apologize for what happened tonight. That kiss was amazing. I felt this special connection between us and I think you did, too." As he said this, he lifted her chin with his index finger to gauge the emotions swirling in her eyes. Emma bit her bottom lip and nodded, but quickly looked away.

"Jay, I'm scared," she whispered.

"Of what?" He grasped her hand, willing her to speak.

"It's stupid."

"Try me."

"I'm afraid…I'm afraid that you'll leave me," she said quietly as another tear rolled down her cheek.

_Haven't I made it abundantly clear to this girl that I'm absolutely crazy about her? Why would she think that I would ever leave her? Cameron really did a number on this one…_ "Emma, I'm not him. I won't leave if things get rough, only weak pansies do that," Jay said with a grin, sparking some giggles from Emma. Turning serious yet again, he finished, "Let me be here for you."

Emma considered him for a moment. She looked at his hopeful smile and those gorgeous and caring blue eyes that currently held residence on his face. _I know he's not Sean, but can I ever trust him completely? After everything that happened between us last year, the way he treated me…_ She decided what she wanted to do, what she needed to do and took a step closer to him. Raising her hand, she slapped him across his right check, effectively shocking him to the core. "That was for all you've done in the past, but this is for now," she said wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him flush against her own body and finally giving him the kiss they both wanted. It was both tender and hungry.

A stunned Jay reluctantly pulled back from the kiss, still unsure. "You want this? You…want…me?" he asked hopefully while rubbing his sore cheek.

Emma flashed him a bright smile. "Yes, I do Jayson." She leaned back in for another kiss. Then she guided one of her hands down to his, lacing their fingers together. Pulling away from his lips, she confirmed, "I really do."


	12. Chapter 12

Later that night, Emma crept into her house, gently closing the door behind her. Resting her head against it, she recalled her outing with Jay in the park dreamily.

"Looks like someone had a good time."

Emma jumped and clutched her heart, peering in the direction of the voice. "Oh my gosh, Manny, don't scare me like that," she shrieked. "You didn't have to wait up for me, you know."

"I didn't. Just came up for a snack and when I heard the front door open, I figured it was you. Em, you should've seen the look on your face!" Manny chuckled. "So how was your non-date with Prince Charming? From the looks of things, I'd say it went well."

Emma bit her lower lip and retold the evening's events to her best friend, leaving out the bit about her insecurities. "He's so sweet and amazing, Manny. Every time I'm around him, I feel like my stomach is full of butterflies."

"Aww, so you two are finally a couple now?"

"Yeah," she answered with a smile.

"Oh. My. God. Eeeeeeeee!" Manny squealed and rushed over to Emma, pulling her into a tight hug. Both of the girls starting jumping up and down excitedly and then ran downstairs to their room so they could talk more and not disturb the entire house.

--

The next morning at school, Emma found a lily taped to her locker. There was an accompanying note that read: 'To my beautiful girl, thanks for the wonderful night. XO, J.' Emma brought the flower to her face and inhaled its sweet scent, sighing contentedly. Manny spotted her from across the hall, snatching the note away from her hand and began to read it. "Wow, he couldn't even spell out the rest of his name? It's only two more letters."

That snapped Emma out of her trance. "Manny!" she scolded and grabbed the note from her hands, sticking it in her back pocket.

"Jeez Em, lighten up. Of course it's cute. I'm just bitter because Craig hasn't done anything like that for me since like…forever, now that I think about it." Pouting she added, "I hate Vancouver."

"I'm sorry, Manny."

"Me too. I wouldn't mind so much if he'd call more often, but I guess his new rock star life is too fast paced to remember me."

"I'm sure that's not true. Craig's crazy about you," Emma said reassuringly.

"Maybe, but it's not enough." She frowned. "Well, I'm gonna head off to class, see you later, Em. Say hi to lover boy for me." Both girls laughed and went their separate ways.

Emma was turning a corner when someone pulled her into a nearby classroom. She yelped when she was shoved against the chalkboard, but grinned when she saw who it was.

"I missed you," Jay whispered into her hair and started to kiss her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

"Thanks for the note and flower, it was really sweet of you. I never pictured you as the romantic type."

"What can I say? You bring it out in me." They kissed for a few moments, but were soon interrupted by the warning bell. "I guess that's our cue…see you later?"

"Of course," she replied and gave him another chaste kiss. _I think I could fall in love with him._

----

Manny was flipping through a magazine waiting for Mr. Anderson to stop lecturing when she felt something hit the back of her head. She looked around her desk to see what it was, spotting a crumbled piece of paper on the floor. She opened and read the note. 'Manny, we need to talk. Meet me on the front steps at lunch. Peter.' Rolling her eyes, she nodded in his direction and turned back to the magazine.


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm here. What do you want?" Manny said to Peter with her arms crossed over her chest while tapping her left foot impatiently.

"It's about Emma."

"When is it not?" she rolled her eyes awaiting his response, but when he didn't say anything she exclaimed, "Tell me already! Sheesh."

"You've seen her with that sleezeball, that pathetic excuse for a human being. She needs to take off those rosy sunglasses, break away from his spell. You can help." Peter grabbed Manny's arm, but she yanked it away disgustedly.

"You want me to help you break up Emma and Jay? I will do no such thing!"

"Now you're on his side, too? What is it that you girls see in him? He's the scum of the Earth!"

"I'll admit that he's not my favorite person, but Peter, he's not so bad. That aside, he seems to really make Emma happy. I will not ruin this good thing she's got going for herself. End of story."

Peter scowled her response. _That is not what I wanted to hear, especially from her of all people._ "She could have something much better."

"What…you? I don't think so," she scoffed. "Look, I'm sure she'll accept your friendship again, but nothing more. Don't get any crazy ideas in that messed up head of yours. She's a big girl who can take care of herself and decide what she wants. Right now, that's Jay." Frustrated, Manny ran her hand through her hair. "Keep your distance, Peter. I mean it." With that, she turned and walked back into the school, leaving Peter to his thoughts.

_Fine, I'll do this without you, Manny. Emma will get what she deserves and Jay will pay for turning MY girls against me_.

--

Jay and Emma weren't in the cafeteria when Manny returned from her conversation with Peter. _Gosh, those two haven't even been going out for a day and they're already ditching lunch to make out. Ah, you've gotta love those first few weeks of a relationship…_ She spotted Alex sitting at their usual table and headed in that direction. Manny slumped in the seat next to her and sighed, "Guess it's just you and me today, huh?"

"Yep, seeing as how our friends the lovebirds' mouths are preoccupied and can't be bothered to consume things with nutritional value," Alex said sarcastically and then chuckled.

Manny's smile quickly faded. "Alex, I need to tell you something."

"Yeah, what's that?"

"I think Peter's up to something."

"Well, there's a newsflash I've never heard."

"No, I mean something to break up Jay and Emma," Manny replied with a frown.

Alex perked up at that statement. "Go on, I'm listening…"

--

"Jay…" Emma whispered in between kisses. "Don't," kiss," you think," kiss, "we should meet Alex and…" kiss, "Manny?" She pulled away from his embrace and smoothed down her hair. Jay reached out to cup her cheek tenderly.

"Yeah, I guess we both could both use some food, huh? Come on, Goldilocks, let's go." He grabbed her hand and led her out of the janitor's closet. Jay turned back to her sheepishly and said, "I'll have to take you somewhere nicer than a closet next time."

Emma laughed. "Jay, I wouldn't care if you took me to a dump, as long as I'm with you." She smiled brightly and wrapped her arm around his back, pulling him in close. "Come on, stud. We wouldn't want to make people gossip about us, now would we?"

"Oh, I'll give them something to talk about," he answered with a wink and picked up Emma, throwing her over his shoulder. When she started shrieking, he playfully smacked her butt. "Quiet down or else I'll be forced-"

"To do what? Ooo, I'm so scared," she teased.

"To do this, missy!" Jay pinched her butt, causing another yelp to escape from Emma. Chuckling he set her down on the ground. When she pouted, he pulled her in for a hug and quickly pecked her lips. "How can I resist that look? All right, let's go then," he said and took her by the hand, leading her to the cafeteria.

--

After Manny finished retelling her encounter with Peter, Alex ground out, "I'm gonna kick that sorry loser's ass!"

"Alex, no!"

"Well, don't expect me to sit around and watch him destroy the best thing ever going for my friend," she replied with a huff.

"You'd better not."

"Then why can't I introduce my fist to his face?"

"Because we're above violence. We need to come up with a plan."

"A plan for what, Manny?" Emma asked taking a seat across from her. Jay was waiting in line for food.

"Oh, it's nothing Em." When Alex shot her a confused look, Manny returned with a look that said 'let's leave them out of this.'

"Okay," Emma replied.

"So, where have you guys been for the last 20 minutes? You almost missed lunch." Alex asked mischievously, wagging her eyebrows at Emma.

Emma blushed and mumbled a response.

"What was that?" Alex persisted.

"Nunya," Jay answered, taking the seat next to Emma. "None ya business."

Alex rolled her eyes as Manny stuck out her tongue at him. "As if we couldn't figure it out," Manny replied sarcastically. "Hey Jay, you have a little something here," she said gesturing to her neck. He wiped his own neck rubbing off some of Emma's lip gloss. "Ha! Knew it." Both she and Alex smirked.

They continued to tease each other for the rest of lunch. When the bell rang signaling the end of the period, Manny pulled Alex aside and whispered, "Our conversation from before is not over. Meet me at the Dot after school." Alex nodded as they all headed off to their own respective classes.


	14. Chapter 14

Alex was sipping her mocha latte when Manny barged through the Dot's door. She wasn't paying attention to where she was walking and tripped over someone's bag. Alex nearly spit out her coffee at the sight. Standing up, she reached out a hand to an extremely embarrassed Manny. "You okay babe? That looked like a nasty fall."

Manny climbed up and brushed off her clothes. "I'm fine, thanks," she muttered. _Wait, did she just call me babe? _ Manny shook her head and eyed the other girl curiously. _Yes, I do believe she did. Weird_. "So about the scumbag…"

"Are you sure that I can't just beat the hell out of him?" Alex asked with a grin.

"As much fun as that would be to watch, no."

"Damn! So what's plan B?"

--

On her walk home from school, Emma heard a car pull up next to the curb. Without looking she teased, "Miss me already?"

"Yeah, I do."

Her smile was immediately washed from her features. "Oh, it's you. What do you want, Peter?"

"We need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you," Emma replied and resumed walking.

"The guy's trouble, Em. He's brainwashing you!" Peter yelled after her. In response, Emma gave him the finger and picked up her pace. Peter sped away angrily.

--

"Santos, it's crazy enough that it might just work."

"Really? So you're in?" Manny said excitedly.

"Yeah, shouldn't be too hard to pull off."

Manny smiled brightly and leaned over the table to peck Alex on the cheek. When she sat back, Manny found herself under her friend's pensive gaze. "What?"

Alex snapped out of her trance. "What? Oh nothing, nevermind. When do we start?"

"ASAP. Tomorrow is perfect."

"Don'tcha think we should let the lovely couple in on our scheme?"

"Nah, we shouldn't worry them. Let them enjoy their blissful romance."

"Jay and romance are two words that just don't mix," Alex joked.

"Hey, you never know. Things change, people change," Manny shrugged.

"If only that were true with you," Alex muttered under her breath.

"What'd you say?"

"I said that's very true." Alex covered. _Whoops. Nice slip, Nuñez_.

"Oh. Well, see you tomorrow."

"Later."

Manny gathered her things and left the restaurant, leaving Alex to her thoughts of the feisty brunette.

--

The next morning, Alex scoured the hallways of Degrassi determinedly. She was about to give up when she spotted her prey within the sea of faces. "Bingo," she murmured and walked up to his locker, slamming it shut in his face. "Peter Stone."

"Alex, why don't you go back into that cave you crawled out of and leave me alone. I have better things to do," he spat.

"Like breaking up Jay and Cause Girl?"

Peter glanced cautiously before answering, "Where did you hear that?"

"Relax, camera dweeb. It doesn't matter where I heard it, because you're obviously displaying your plan to the world. Lucky for you, most of these kids here are too wrapped up in their own lives to notice."

Peter eyed her suspiciously. "If you even think about telling that trash you call a friend about this, I'll make your life hell," he threatened.

"Whoa, back up a minute, Stone. Jay is not trash. Secondly, what makes you think I want to tell him?" she replied crossing her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Of course you would, you're his lackey."

Alex grabbed Peter by his shirt and threw him against the lockers. "Never call me a lackey again, got it?" she spat angrily. He nodded his head in acquiescence, so Alex released her grip on him. Cracking her knuckles, she continued, "I'm not going to tell him. No, I want in."

Peter looked at her skeptically. "What?"

"You're a slow one, aren't you, Stone?" I want in on your scheme to break them up."

"How do I know that you're not lying?"

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Alex replied with a sneer while making fists. "Besides, Greenpeace is no good for Jay. She's turning him soft and I can't have that."

Peter considered her for a moment. Against his better judgment, he decided to trust her intentions; after all, having an ally was just what he needed to get closer to Jay. Alex was perfect for the job, because she was even closer to him than Manny was and he wouldn't suspect a thing. Peter told Alex to meet him after school at the park so that they could discuss the plan in detail. Little did he know that she had a plan of her own up her sleeve...

Later that day, Manny pulled Alex into the girls' restroom and locked the door behind them. "Tell me what happened this morning. Did everything go smoothly?"

Alex grinned and responded, "Worked like a charm."

"Does he suspect anything?"

"He was hesitant at first, but I managed to convince him to trust me," she replied giving Manny a devilish smirk.

"Fabulous!"

"We're meeting at the park after school today. You'll be there, right?"

"Of course. It's about time that jerk is put in his place." Both girls laughed and hugged each other before unlocking the door. Outside there was a long line of impatient girls waiting with scowls on their faces.

"Oops, sorry girls, you're free to use the bathroom now. Pow-wow time is over," Manny said.

One of the girls sarcastically muttered, "Pow-wow, is that what you're calling it these days?" as she glanced between them. Alex blushed at the implication, but Manny just stared after the girl dumbfounded as she pushed through the door.


	15. Chapter 15

"Glad you could make it," Peter smirked as Alex took a seat next to him on the picnic table. "So I was thinking that you could act as bait, draw Jay's attention away from Emma forever. Maybe you could try," before he finished, he raked his eyes across Alex's body and licked his lips, "dressing the part. You know, wear one of those revealing low-cut tops."

Alex wanted to smack that smug grin off his face for even thinking about her in such a way. His gaze made her feel dirty. _Must stick to the plan….must stick to the plan…_ She plastered a huge fake smile on her face and nodded. "Hogart never could resist me," she replied as she crossed her legs towards Peter seductively. "No man can," she added.

Peter leaned across her body and purred into her ear, "I know I can't."

"What about your precious Emma? I thought you wanted her, isn't that why we're meeting here?"

"She's not mine…yet, so there's no harm in having a little fun now, is there?" he asked as he moved his hand to her leg.

_If that hand goes any higher, he will live to regret it_. She widened her plastic smile, tightly clenching her teeth to keep herself from giving him a black eye. "I don't see why not," she replied. With her index finger, she motioned for him to come closer. He willingly obliged. Alex glanced at Peter's lips and then at his eyes. She leaned closer, her lips a mere inch away from his. Just as he tried to close the gap, she placed a finger on his lips and whispered, "I want you to beg."

Peter pulled back with confusion written all over his face. "Excuse me?"

"If you want to hook-up, you're gonna have to beg," she answered with a seductive smile.

"Oh feisty, I like it," Peter replied. "Okay, I'll play your game. Please Alex…please kiss me."

She smirked. "Hmm, I had something else in mind…."

"Like?"

With an evil glint in her eye, she commanded, "Strip."

"What?" Peter asked flabbergasted.

"Do it. Take off your clothes."

When Peter stripped down to his underwear, Alex had to stifle a laugh. _So the dweeb wears tighty whities, color me surprised._ "Okay, now get down on your knees." He did as he was told. Alex grabbed a bandana out of her pocket and tied it around his eyes. Grinning she continued, "Now say 'I'm a young supple virgin.'"

"What?" he asked angrily. "You don't really expect me to say that, do you?"

"Yes," she replied simply.

"I don't think so."

"Then I don't think we can hook-up. It's a shame really; I had such high hopes for you." Luckily the bandana prevented Peter from seeing Alex stick a finger down her throat.

"Okay, okay, I'll do it." Sighing he complied quietly, "I'm a young supple virgin."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. What did you just say?"

"I'm a young supple virgin!" he yelled exasperatedly.

"I thought that's what you said," Manny said suddenly, all the while grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"Who was that? Manny?!" Peter questioned angrily and pulled off his blindfold. He spotted Manny and Alex laughing together on the picnic table, watching him.

"You bitch! " he spat, rushing over to them. After he hastily put on his clothes, he yelled, "You played me!"

Alex was the first to stifle her laughter. "What did you expect, Stone? Are you really that dense?"

When Peter looked back at her with a blank expression, Manny rolled her eyes and explained, "She's a lesbian, Peter, has been for about a year now."

"And even if I wasn't, I still wouldn't help you break-up Hogart's relationship with Greenpeace. He's my best friend, and I don't roll like that," Alex added.

"Neither do I. Peter, this has to stop. Emma doesn't want you, she wants Jay. JAY. You need to respect that," Manny tried to reason.

"She's not thinking clearly, she's-"

Alex cut him off saying, "No, you're not seeing the big picture here. She's falling in love with someone who is not YOU. Deal with it."

Peter clenched his teeth bitterly and thought to himself for a moment. Finally he turned back to them and threatened, "If you think this little stunt you just pulled is going to stop me, you're wrong. Thanks for the pep talk, girls." Sending them an evil smirk, he turned and ran off towards his car. Manny and Alex watched his car speed away.

Alex shook her head and turned back to Manny chuckling. "Some quick getaway, eh? Did you see those tighty whities?"

"Oh yeah, that was priceless. Although I think I'm gonna have nightmares for weeks…"

"So did you get it all?" Alex wondered aloud.

"The whole shebang," Manny responded with a grin. "If this won't shut him up, nothing will…" she added as she held up a video camera.


	16. Chapter 16

"Jay, I want you to have dinner with my parents tonight," Emma blurted out as he pulled his car into her driveway.

Jay adjusted his hat nervously and asked, "Are you sure that's a good idea, Goldilocks? I'm definitely not Mr. S's favorite person and having him find out that I'm your boyfriend is just asking for trouble."

"But you've changed; you're no longer the Jayson Hogart that gave his daughter gonorrhea."

"Thanks for reminding me," he sheepishly interjected.

Emma gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry about the past, Jay. What matters is the present. I'm sure Snake will come around if you give him the chance."

"Just like you?"

"Just like me," Emma responded with a smile and leaned in for a quick kiss. "So what do you say, stud, will you come?"

"How could I ever turn you down?" he answered with a grin and kissed her again.

--

"Mom! Don't embarrass me tonight in front of my guest!" Emma whined from her room as she rummaged through her closet looking for the perfect 'my boyfriend is meeting the parents' dinner ensemble.

Spike chuckled to herself as she stirred the curry she had made. "Of course not, baby. I wouldn't dare of doing such a thing," she teased.

Emma rushed up the stairs and into the kitchen with two outfits in tow. "Which one do you like better?" she asked raising her arms.

"Um, how about that flowy skirt in your left hand?" She answered as she lifted the spoon to her mouth for a taste. "Mmm, that's good." Setting the spoon in the sink, Spike turned back to Emma. She was still looking between the two sets of clothes. "Sweetheart, honestly go with the skirt. It looks amazing on you."

"Okay," she finally conceded.

"Why all this trouble anyway? This guest must be very special."

"Yeah," Emma sighed dreamily.

"Aha! So it is a boy. Emma, why won't you just tell me who it is?"

Emma nervously bit her lip trying to think of some reason besides the real one. _Because if I told you now, he wouldn't be allowed in the house. Not after the ravine incident_. "Well, that would ruin the surprise, now wouldn't it?"

Spike sighed in resignation. "I suppose you win this one, but I will meet him in an hour."

"Yep, sure will!" Emma chirped as ran back into her room to get changed. Spike just shook her head and laughed at her daughter's antics.

--

Jay arrived at the Nelson-Simpson residence some fifteen minutes before he was expected. He grabbed the bouquet of flowers he had brought for Emma and climbed out of the car. Walking up the driveway, he gulped and started pacing. His nerves were on edge because he didn't know what Emma's parents would think of their relationship. Sure, Mr. Simpson taught at Degrassi, but he and Emma had taken extra care not to act so couple-like around his presence. Tonight would be the start of a whole new ball game and he wasn't sure how Mr. S would handle the news. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the front door and knocked. Jay held the bouquet behind his back to surprise Emma and not to scare away her parents. The door opened to reveal the very person Jay had been dreading.

Snake took a step back in shock. "Jayson Hogart, what brings you here?"

"I'm uh…I'm…" Jay stammered.

"He's my dinner guest, Snake. Be nice," Emma said suddenly appearing at the door. Jay's nerves instantly relaxed at the sight of her.

Snake nodded reluctantly and looked over the once troublesome student. Gone was his normal baseball cap and baggy clothes. Instead he wore a simple white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of faded jeans. His hair was neatly gelled and styled. Hmm, impressive. "Well, I've got to hand it to you, Jay, you clean up nice."

"Thanks, Mr. S," he replied with a half smile. Jay looked over to Emma and held his breath. She looked so gorgeous in her dark green camisole, gold skirt, and hair loose in waves. Emma smiled brightly at him, triggering his mind back to the present. "Here, these are for you," he whispered, handing her the flowers.

"Wow, they're so beautiful. Thank you. Let me put them in water, and I'll be right back," Emma replied and left the room while inhaling their sweet scent. Jay and Snake were left alone.

"So…" Jay began awkwardly.

"Do you like Thai food?"

"Sure."

"That's great, because Spike makes the best tofu curry."

"I do not! But thanks for saying it, honey," Spike protested as she entered the living room. "Dinner is ready." She looked at the handsome boy standing next to her husband and reached out a hand," Hi, I'm Spike, Emma's mom. You must be her guest. What's your name?"

"Jay, Jay Hogart," he replied as he shook her hand.

Recognition clearly washed over Spike's face, causing Jay to shuffle his feet. She sent Snake a worried look. In return he just shrugged his shoulders and sent her a look that read 'I'm sure Emma will explain.' Her ears must have been burning, because just then Emma returned.

"Mom, dad, there's something I need to tell you." She grabbed Jay's hand, already confirming their worst fears. "Jay and I are dating."

"What?" Snake exclaimed loudly, causing Emma to flinch. "You can't be dating…him!"

Emma looked over at Jay nervously. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze urging her to continue. She turned back to her parents' fuming faces. "Jay has come a long way since…since well, you know," she said dropping her gaze to the floor and sighed. "He's a better person now. Dad, you of all people should've noticed this, being a teacher and all…"

"His academic performance has improved significantly," Snake admitted, "but that doesn't insinuate that he's good enough for you, Emma."

Anger boiled within her, but Emma kept her cool. She wanted to appear calm and rational in front of her parents, because it was what they needed to accept her relationship with Jay. "I happen to think he's great for me," she replied confidently.

Jay wanted to passionately kiss and hug Emma for her defense of him, especially in front of her parents. His girl sure was brave, but this was not the appropriate time for such antics. There was no better time to speak up then the present, he supposed. "Mr. and Mrs. Simpson, I assure you that I have the utmost respect for your daughter. She's amazing; she's a '67 Shelby 500 GT Mustang." Emma playfully slugged his arm. "Sorry about the car reference. I'm just saying that she's unlike any other person I know." He smiled down at Emma and watched a blush overtake her features.

Spike and Snake exchanged glances. Spike decided to speak up first. "That was some statement, Jay. How do I know that you're not just putting on some of that charm I've heard you're so famous for?"

"Mom!" Emma scolded.

"No, it's okay, Em. She has a right to be suspicious." Emma looked back at him wide-eyed, but Jay ignored it. "I really do care for your daughter. She's my world. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her," he replied sincerely, not once breaking eye contact with Spike. Emma took a deep breath and held it.

Spike considered him for a moment. Once the silence became overwhelming, she finally said, "Okay, that's good enough for me. Plus, I've never seen Emma look happier than when she's with you."

Emma released a beaming smile and jumped into her mother's arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You don't know how much this means to me," she whispered excitedly.

Snake cleared his throat in hopes of gaining everyone's attention. "Just know that I'll be watching you like a hawk, Jayson."

"Dad!" Emma exclaimed while rolling her eyes.

"Yes, sir," Jay responded with a mock salute.

Spike clapped her hands together. "So…who wants to eat?"

Everyone responded immediately and headed into the kitchen. Emma grabbed Jay's hand, leading the way. She abruptly stopped at the entryway and turned to face him. Leaning into his ear she whispered, "That went over pretty well, don't you think?" He nodded and kissed her cheek. With linked hands, they walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table smiling. The rest of the night progressed pretty smoothly.


	17. Chapter 17

A flash of dark hair passed the kitchen, followed by a slamming door. Four sets of curious eyes looked to the entryway. Snake and Spike exchanged a confused glance and looked to their daughter. Emma shrugged her shoulders and wiped at her mouth with a napkin. She pushed back her chair and headed downstairs to her room, leaving an uncomfortable silence between her parents and boyfriend at the table. She found Manny at the mirror excitedly brushing her hair. "Hey."

"Hey Em," Manny chirped.

"So, you wanna tell me where you've been this afternoon? And why you're so…so…" Emma stammered searching for the perfect word, "perky?"

"What do you mean, Emma?" she asked innocently.

"You're acting like you just downed a hundred pixie sticks." Emma narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest in thought. "I know what this is about. Craig finally called you, didn't he? What did he say?" she questioned with a bright, eager smile.

Manny rolled her eyes and turned away from the mirror. "No, that jerk didn't call me. Come to think of it, he hasn't in about a month. Shows how much he cares…. I really should dump his sorry ass."

Emma frowned. "Manny, you don't really mean that, do you?"

"Why shouldn't I? If Craig had any respect for this relationship, he'd at least have the decency to return one of my messages," she ranted. "I even would've been flattered if he'd sent me a postcard, but no: nothing, nada, zilch. Clearly he doesn't care about us at all. I've reached my breaking point, Em. Craig and I, we're finished." She picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number, impatiently waiting for his voicemail to pick up. "This is my final phone call, Craig. I'm sick of not being able to talk to my boyfriend. You're obviously not taking this relationship seriously. I cannot compete with your new love: your glamorous rock star life. I'm sorry to do this on your voicemail, but you've left me with no other choice. We're through. I hope you enjoy Vancouver." Sighing, she shut her cell phone and laid down on the bed.

Emma sat down next to her and grabbed her hand. "I'm really sorry, Manny. I can't believe I just killed your good mood."

"No, you didn't; Craig did. Don't feel sorry, Em, this has been building for a long time. You just reminded me of my limit."

"Let's have a girls' night. We can watch whatever movie you want with your hunky heartthrob of choice."

Manny smiled at her best friend. "Thanks, but I think I'll pass."

Emma furrowed her brow in confusion. "You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. No cheering up necessary, thanks anyway. So how did the dinner with the parents go?"

"Pretty well, surprisingly. Actually, it's still going on, I sort of left Jay alone to see what's going on with you."

"I bet he's having a blast up there on his own," Manny replied sarcastically. "You should save him from that awkward prison."

"You sure you'll be okay?" Emma asked with concern.

"Emma, I'll be fine, really. Go on, rescue your man from the clutches of Snake," she replied with a half-smile.

Emma gave Manny's hand one last squeeze and walked up the stairs. Manny rolled onto her back and crossed her arms behind her head deep in thought. _My, how things have changed these past few weeks…_ She looked up at the ceiling with a brilliant smile.


	18. Chapter 18

"I can't believe that you left me all alone with them last night," Jay whined to Emma at her locker the next morning.

"Oh, shush you big baby. It wasn't that bad," Emma replied and rolled her eyes. When he pouted in return, she plastered a huge grin on her face and said, "Besides, who knew you guys could act so civil towards each other, especially in such a heated discussion. Coming upstairs to see you and Snake debating over the youth of today, it was so cute!"

Jay crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at the floor. "Mr. S doesn't have much respect for our generation's pastimes, so someone had to set him straight. And I'm not cute! I'm all man here, 100 bona-fide sexy, thank you very much." He looked up to see his girlfriend smirking at him. "What?"

Emma's smirk grew even wider. "Yeah, you're a fine specimen of males everywhere." She took a step closer, resting her arms against his chest. "But you're my hunk of a man…" Jay grinned, so she leaned into his ear and finished whispering, "…who happens to be totally adorable." She kissed him on the check and backed away, playfully running off to her next class.

Jay clenched his jaw and called after her, "That better stay on the DL! I mean it Goldilocks!"

Emma turned around and nodded, biting her lower lip. He smiled back at her and then headed in the direction of Ms. Kwan's room, shaking his head.

--

Meanwhile, Alex was sitting on the front steps of Degrassi reading a book. She knew that Manny had a free period first thing in the morning, so the night before they had made plans to edit some rather embarrassing raw footage together. _I can't wait to see the look on that dweeb's face when he catches the first glimpse of this tape_. A voice interrupted Alex from her thoughts.

"Is that a smile, Ms. Nuñez? Let's ask the judges. Yes, yes, and yes. The vote is unanimous; I do believe that was a smile. Has hell frozen over?"

Alex let her grin slip away as she punched her friend in the upper arm when he sat next to her. "Shut up, Spin."

Spinner raised his hands defensively and said, "I'm backing off. No need to get your panties in a bunch." Alex slugged him again, this time a little harder. "Ow! Fine, I give up!" he yelped.

Alex sighed and rested her chin on her left arm.

"Is this about Manny?" Spinner asked suddenly.

"Um, excuse me?"

"You know, everyone may think that I'm a little slow, and at times I tend to agree, but I have my moments of epiphany. I can tell that you're totally into Miss Manuela Santos."

"You sure about that?" Alex challenged.

"Absolutely, I'd bet my right nut on it," Spinner responded with a smirk. They both started laughing at that ridiculous comment.

"Congratulations, Spin, you can keep it." Alex admitted.

"Yes! I knew it. You must have some kind of fetish for my exes," he joked.

Alex shook her head and replied, "Whatever you say. Not that it matters, because I don't have a chance with her."

Spinner placed a hand on Alex's shoulder in support. "Don't sell yourself short, Alex. You won over the stubborn Paige Michalchuk; I think you can handle Manny."

Smiling, Alex sat up and said, "You're right, I have no reason to fear the worst. Spinner, when did you become the relationship advice guru?"

"Ever since I've had to deal with three high-maintenance beauties. Besides, I'm not really an expert on women, just my ex-girlfriends," he shrugged.

'Thanks."

"Anytime," he replied with a half-smile. He grabbed his backpack and walked into the school.

--

Manny walked out of the Nelson-Simpson home with a sway in her hips. Grinning, she thought about how long it had been since she had felt so free. Manny put on her sunglasses and shook her hair behind her for good measure. Soon enough she found herself standing in front of a pensive looking Alex. Taking a seat next to her, she whispered, "A penny for your thoughts."

"Oh, hey Manny," Alex replied nervously as she snapped out of her trance. Looking over at the younger girl, she noticed that Manny was glowing. "What's gotten into you?" she smirked.

Manny shrugged in response.

"Oh come on, Santos, you can't fool me. Care to let me in on your little secret?"

Manny leaned back on the steps and crossed her legs. She looked away from Alex and said simply, "I broke up with Craig."

_Well, I certainly wasn't expecting an answer like that_… Alex restrained herself from doing a victory dance. She cleared her throat instead. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't you be at home crying your pretty little eyes out? You seem so…content."

"A few weeks ago, I probably would've been doing just that. But now, I don't know. I can't explain it; I've just never felt so relieved. Free, even. Craig is no longer holding me back. If he can move on, then so can I."

Alex smiled inwardly at Manny's small display of maturity. _That's my girl_.

Manny lifted her purse onto her lap and began to skim its contents. When she finally found what she was searching for, she pulled it out and waved it in front of Alex's face. "Shall we?"

"Oh, we shall," Alex replied with a smirk. As she stood up, Manny grabbed her arm and linked it with her own. Together they walked to the MI lab.


	19. Chapter 19

Before heading to the cafeteria, Emma stopped at her locker to grab her lunch. After shutting the door, she found herself staring into the eyes of Peter Stone.

"Hello, Emma."

Emma sighed. "Not now, Peter." As she started walking away from him, a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"Where do you think you're going?" Peter sneered.

She rolled her eyes and responded sarcastically, "To meet my friends for lunch, now if you'll excuse me…"

Peter pushed her against the lockers and held onto her waist tightly. "Not today, Emma. No, today you're mine." Emma struggled against him and called out for Jay's help, but Peter roughly put his hand over her mouth to silence her cries. "Don't you ever say his name again, you hear me?" His voice was dripping with venom.

Emma glared at him angrily and bit his hand. Peter, however, didn't seem to care. He pulled her into the boys' washroom and locked the door behind them.

"Shh…"

Emma struggled against her captor as best as she could, but Peter was a bit too strong. His hand was still clamped over her mouth as his other arm was wrapped tightly around her back. Emma's body was pulled flush against his and the wall. Because of her position, she had no leverage to knee him where it counted. Emma released a quiet whimper when she felt Peter's lips on her neck. _I hope someone is out there listening…please don't let him do what I think he wants to do…_ Peter slipped his hand underneath the back of Emma's shirt, caressing her back slowly, yet forcefully. Tears of anger and frustration flowed out of her eyes. _Jay, I'm so sorry…_

--

Jay had just finished answering nature's call when he thought that he had heard the door slam and lock. Thinking he was just being paranoid, he shook his head and flushed the toilet.

--

At the sound of a flush, both Peter and Emma snapped at once. _Dammit, I should've checked to see if it was empty in here first!_ Peter shoved Emma into the corner so that the person coming out of the stall would be less likely to catch them. He leaned down into her ear and whispered harshly, "Don't say a word." Emma reluctantly nodded at the threat and silently prayed that whoever was in the washroom would see her. Peter cautiously watched the stall door open in the mirror.

Just as luck would have it, Jay walked over to the sink and began to wash his hands. He turned off the faucet and grabbed a paper towel. After drying his hands, he gazed into the mirror and adjusted his hat. Feeling satisfied with his appearance, he walked over to the trash, but instantly stopped in his tracks when he heard a whimper. When he turned around, Jay caught sight of his girlfriend being held captive by that Stone kid. "Emma!" She looked so frightened. Jay clenched his jaw and stalked over to Peter. "What are you doing with my girlfriend?" he demanded.

"She's just slumming around with you when she could be with someone who actually deserves her," Peter spat.

Jay crossed his arms over his chest defiantly. "Yeah, and who might that be?"

"Me."

Jay growled and grabbed Peter by his shirt collar, roughly pulling him away from Emma and slightly lifted him off the ground. "Dude, back away from my girl!"

As he began to pull back his fist, a sly smirk crossed Peter's face. "Now, now. I wouldn't do that if I were you. I heard that my mom has only given you one chance to stay in Degrassi. You wouldn't want to mess that up, now would you?"

Without a second thought, Jay punched him in the face. Peter fell to the floor clutching his now bloody nose. "For her, I'd do anything."

Deciding to take the opportunity before her, Emma kicked Peter in the stomach. "That's for being a heartless creep!" She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and looked over at her fuming boyfriend. "Jay, are you okay?"

Jay flexed the hand that had rearranged Peter's face twice. He instantly relaxed at the sight of a freed Emma. Rushing over to her, he pulled her into his arms tenderly. "Yeah," he murmured as he tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "But the real question is, are you okay?"

Emma gazed into his caring blue eyes and gave him a soft smile. "Yes, thanks to you. My knight in…" she glanced down at his baggy t-shirt and jeans," …thug attire." She sent him a saucy smirk.

Jay chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, Goldilocks, let's go." He grabbed her hand and led her out of the washroom, completely ignoring all of Peter's painful groans. He kept walking until they were outside standing in front of his car.

"Jay, where are we going? We shouldn't be skipping!"

"I won't be able to concentrate in class, Em. Not now, wondering what could've happened, what HE could have done to you." Shoving his hands deep into his front pockets, he looked down at the ground.

Emma lifted his chin with her finger so that he could see the sincerity in her eyes. "But he didn't, because YOU stopped him." She leaned in for a chaste kiss. It quickly turned desperate and passionate.

Out of breath, Jay pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. "Let's get out of here, go someplace where I can hold you in my arms."

"What about your place?" Emma suggested shyly.

He eyed her curiously for a moment. Finally he nodded his head and opened the passenger door for her. After she sat down, he hopped into the driver's side and sped away to his house. Once they arrived, Jay led Emma to his room, where they innocently fell asleep on his bed. Neither Jay nor Emma had ever slept as peaceful as they had in each other's arms.


	20. Chapter 20

Emma awoke with a start, sweating and gasping for breath. As she took in the strange surroundings, her heart began to race. She felt the bed beside her shift. With a smile, she looked down at the sleeping form of her boyfriend. _Relax; you're in Jay's room_. She glanced over at his nightstand, noting that it was now 6 am. As Emma went to lie back down, a sudden revelation crossed her mind. _It's 6 am! I've been here all night! Snake is so gonna kill me…_ Reaching over, she began to shake Jay. "Jay! Jay! Wake up!"

Jay rolled over and mumbled, "Just five more minutes, mom."

"You have to get up now!" Emma urged. Since he clearly had no intentions of moving anytime soon, Emma did the most effective thing she could think of…

Jay landed on the floor with a thud. "Ow! What the…?" he questioned tiredly. He glanced up at a frazzled Emma, complete with bed head. _She's so beautiful in the morning. I'll have to make sure we do this again._ At this point, if finally occurred to him that it was she who had pushed him off the bed. "Hey! What was that for?"

"We have school in an hour."

"Okay, but why the theatrics? You're stronger than you look, Goldilocks," he noted wearing both a smirk and a look of confusion. Emma wasn't sure how that was even possible, but Jay had managed to pull it off.

"I never went home last night! I can only image the search and rescue team my parents organized." Emma began to pace back and forth nervously. "They are probably freaking right now."

To halt her movements, Jay rested his hands on Emma's shoulders. He cupped her face tenderly and quickly kissed her lips. "Chill, Em. I'm sure everything will be fine. Your parents will come around; if not, then I'll take the blame."

Emma shook her head, "No, I couldn't let you do that." She exhaled a deep breath and ran a hand through her messy hair. "You're probably right; this whole thing will just blow over. So, what's a girl gotta do to get some breakfast around here?"

"Oh, I can think of a few things," Jay teased with a wink. He then chased her into the kitchen.

--

They arrived at Degrassi some fifty minutes later. Emma looked up at Jay with an enormous grin as he wrapped his arm around her back possessively. They were busy chatting and laughing when a stern voice interrupted their blissful musings.

"Mr. Hogart, I'd like to see you in my office immediately."

Both Emma and Jay turned around to see Mrs. H standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. When she raised an eyebrow at him, Jay gulped. Hiding behind his mother was Peter, who was now sporting a bandage on his nose and a slight evil grin. Jay felt Emma wrap her arms around his waist protectively.

"Now, Jayson!" Mrs. H demanded.

Emma released her grip and took a step closer to the principal defiantly. "He didn't do anything wrong!"

"Stay out of this, Ms. Nelson."

Emma glared at her in response. Jay placed a hand on her arm, calming her. Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, "Relax, let me handle this." When she nodded, Jay gently kissed her cheek. Hundreds of emotions were exchanged in one brief glance. Jay broke the gaze first and headed in the direction of Mrs. H's office. Mrs. H trailed behind him.

Peter and Emma were left alone in the hallway. She marched over to him angrily. "This is all your fault."

"Who do you think she is going to believe, Em? Her loving injured son or the unscathed school convict?" he spat venomously, sending a chill to run up Emma's spine.

"Why must you keep doing this, Peter?"

"Why?" he chuckled bitterly. "It's all because of you…it always has been."

Emma suddenly slapped his cheek. "Don't you get it? I don't want you. Not before, not now, not ever," she spat. Peter cupped his cheek and glared daggers at her retreating form.

--

Jay slammed the door behind him as he stalked out of Mrs. H's office. To blow off some steam, he punched the nearest locker with all his might. The façade was now dented. He pulled his car keys from his pocket and swung them around his index finger in thought.

Emma was listening to Mr. Anderson drone on about matrices when she spotted a familiar face pass by the door. She excused herself to the washroom, only to find Jay pacing the hall furiously. "Hey," she spoke softly and grabbed his arm, willing him to look at her. "What happened?" She watched his jaw clench and winced slightly.

"That bitch kicked me out, all because wimp boy cried to his mommy."

"What?" she asked dumbfounded. "She can't do that! You were defending me!"

"Yeah, well, it's his word against mine."

"And mine," Emma added.

"Mama Bear sure as hell isn't going to listen to anything that Goldilocks or the Big Bad Wolf have to say," Jay ground out frustrated.

Emma reached up and cupped his cheek, but he ignored her. Shaking his head, Jay said, "I need to get out of here. I can't deal with this right now."

She laced her fingers with his. "I'll go with you."

"No, Em," he replied sternly. "I need to be alone." With that he released her hand and walked out of Degrassi.

Emma watched him rev up his engine and speed out of the parking lot with watery eyes. Tears slowly descended her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself tightly. _He promised that he'd never leave me…_


	21. Chapter 21

Manny was strolling down the hallway happily. She entered the girls' washroom and walked over to the mirror. As she began to reapply her lip-gloss, sobs emitted from the stall behind her. With a frown, Manny knocked on the stall door quietly. "Hey, are you okay?" The girl mumbled in response, so Manny quickly dug through her purse and pulled out a tissue. "Sweetie, could you open the door, please?" She heard the door unlatch. It was pulled back to reveal her best friend's tear stained face. Manny instantly pulled her in for a hug and rubbed her back soothingly. "Oh Emma, what happened? What's wrong?"

"Jay…he…" Emma stammered in between sniffles.

"He what?" Manny questioned with concern, trying to get her friend to open up.

Emma pulled out of Manny's embrace and took the tissue offered to her, wiping the tears away. She tried to compose herself as best as she could before continuing. "This morning he was kicked out of school."

"What?" Manny asked dramatically. Emma could tell that she was truly shocked at the news. "Why, Em?"

"P-peter h-he forced m-me into the b-boys' washroom yesterday…" Emma looked down at the ground uncomfortably and could feel her eyes begin to fill with tears once again.

"He what?" Manny demanded. "Oh, I can't believe this! He just doesn't know when to quit, does he?" she wondered aloud. "You'd think he'd stay away after that lesson we taught him the other day…"

Emma's ears perked up at that statement. She looked directly into Manny's eyes, silently pleading for an explanation.

"Look, Em, I'm sorry. I should've told you before, but I didn't want to concern you. You were so happy with Jay."

Anger started to rise within her small shell of a body. "What are you talking about, Manny?" Emma asked a bit on edge.

"I knew, well we knew, that Peter wanted to break up you and Jay so that he could have you all to himself. We never thought he was capable of this…" she tried to explain.

"You knew? You knew and you didn't tell me!" Emma took a deep breath and stepped forward angrily. "And who is 'we'?"

Manny nervously ran her hands through her hair. "Alex, she knew, too. I'm so sorry, Em; I really thought we handled him." An uncomfortable silence washed over the girls. Manny was the first to break it. "I'm assuming that he is responsible for Jay's sudden school departure?"

Emma nodded. "In the washroom, Jay was there. He stopped Peter from...whatever he was going to do and gave him a broken nose in the process. Peter told his mom some bogus story, so she kicked Jay out. Mrs. H doesn't believe our side of what happened yesterday."

Manny took a moment to process this information. Suddenly a huge grin overtook her lips. "I can help you."

"Yeah, how?" Emma replied as she wiped away her last tear.

"Come on, I have something to show you…" Manny grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the stall. She took a brief moment to text Alex before leading Emma to the library.

--

Emma couldn't stop grinning. She looked away from the screen, back to Manny and Alex, whose smiles matched her own. "Wow, I can't believe that you guys did that, especially you, Alex. That took some guts."

"So, did you like it?" Alex asked hopefully.

"Honestly, I'm not sure I can say yes. After all, it's a tape condemning my relationship, but I think this is just what we need to get Jay back at Degrassi."

"Damn straight," Alex replied excitedly as she reached over and slapped her palm. She also gave Manny a high five and pulled her in for a hug.

Emma watched the exchange curiously. She sighed and rested her chin in her palm. "Now if only he'd stop being such a butthead…"

"Only a personality change could solve that problem," Manny scoffed sarcastically and then added, "Peter so won't let that happen."

Emma shook her head, "No, not Peter; he's way beyond help. I was referring to Jay."

"What do you mean, Em? He was just kicked out of school!" Manny asked extremely confused.

"He was so angry this morning that he left in a hurry. What if he decides to run from his problems like Sean and I never see him again?"

Alex pulled up a chair and swung it around so she could straddle it and lean her arms across the back. "That won't happen," she replied simply, yet with certainty.

"How do you know?" Emma asked.

"Experience, duh," Manny answered as she rolled her eyes.

"Nice Santos, real smooth," Alex replied to the brunette sarcastically. She leaned closer to the blonde. "Emma, Jay does a lot of things without ever thinking them through. But one thing he won't do is abandon those he cares about. He left this morning in a fit because he was royally pissed off, but I wouldn't say he's gone for good. You see, Jay's a pest: he'll stick around for as long as you'll put up with him. In this case, Blondie, I'd say he's in for the long hull. Give him time, he'll come around."

Emma sent the older girl a genuine smile. "Thanks, Alex, for everything. You too, Manny. I owe you both big time."

"Yeah, you do," Manny teased. "So, we'll have the tape ready to go first thing tomorrow morning. Let's meet in front of Mrs. H's office during homeroom."

"Cutting class? Santos, you're such a rebel," Alex joked with a smirk, causing Manny to blush slightly. Both Emma and Alex laughed at her pink cheeks.

"Shut up! Ladies, I have spirit squad practice in five minutes, so I'll see you in the morning, Alex. Emma, if you decide to actually come home tonight," she paused to wink, "I'll see you at dinner."

It was now Emma's turn to blush. Alex put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "I've gotta split, too. No worries, right?"

Emma nodded and watched both girls exit the library. _This had better work, because I'm falling, Jay. Hard_.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone for reading and reviewing this story. Your support means a lot to me!

After driving around aimlessly for hours, Jay pulled up to a curb and cut the engine. He rested his head against the steering wheel and released a deep sigh. _You've really screwed up this time, Hogart_. He sat back up and took in his surroundings, only to find that he had driven himself to the park, the very one where he had taken Emma on their first date. He rubbed his tired eyes and adjusted the rearview mirror. Just as he was about to start the car, a blonde figure in the mirror caught his eye. Sitting alone on the swing set was his Emma. He smiled and stepped out of his car.

Startled by the slam of a car door, Emma looked up from the ground. She spotted the familiar orange Civic and its owner. Looking away, she began to swing back and forth.

As Jay approached her, he lifted his hat and anxiously ruffled his hair. He watched Emma's hair sway gracefully behind her with each stride. He stepped behind her and pushed gently. Neither spoke a word.

Emma stopped pumping her legs and let the slight breeze wash over her body. It was refreshing. The swing began to slow. Two strong hands gripped the swing's chains, stopping its movement completely.

Jay stepped in front of her and lifted her chin, willing her to look into his eyes. He wanted her to believe in the sincerity of what he was about to say. "Emma…I…"

Instead a frown settled upon her face. "Why?" was all she asked.

He ran the back of his hand across her cheek. "I couldn't do it, Goldilocks."

"Do what?"

"Avoid my problems, my demons. But mostly, I can't give up the fight," he smiled and entwined their fingers together, "or you."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Emma replied with a smirk. With her free hand, she punched his arm lightly. "Jerk."

Jay looked down sheepishly. "I deserved that."

"You sure did," she replied wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed his lips passionately, which he eagerly returned. He pulled back to cup her face between his hands. He kissed the tip of her nose and whispered, "I'm sorry about this morning, beautiful."

"I forgive you," she answered as she laid her head on his chest. He ran his fingers through her long, soft hair and placed a kiss on the top of her head. Jay pulled her closer and leaned down into her ear. "I love you, Emma."

She quickly lifted her head and gazed into his eyes. Emma could see his love for her shining in those blue depths. She smiled brilliantly and kissed him yet again, this time with love.  
When they finally broke apart, Emma smiled wickedly.

"What's gotten into you, Goldilocks?"

"Four words: Manny, Alex, and video footage."

Jay eyed her with a curious smile. "Care to explain?"

"I'd love to."


	23. Chapter 23

"Good day, Ms. Nelson."

She flinched as Mrs. H's office door slammed shut just inches from her face. Before turning around, Emma angrily kicked it.

Manny put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll find another way to fix this, Em."

Emma released a deep exaggerated breath as she nodded. "I cannot believe that she won't even give me a chance to explain, not even a minute. That video is the only thing stopping Peter from winning and she won't even give us the time of day. How will she ever see it?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that, Blondie," Alex responded. Her eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Alex, what did you do?" Manny questioned with a raised eyebrow.

The older girl just shrugged. "Maybe we should go to homeroom after all. I'd hate to miss the morning announcements."

The wheels in Manny's head started turning. "You didn't!"

"I don't know what you're suggesting, Santos," Alex bluffed.

Manny just rolled her eyes as Emma mouthed a 'thank you' to Alex.

--

"Good morning, students of Degrassi High…"

Peter groaned as the cheerful voice of Liberty filled his ears. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes to take a quick nap. A sudden outburst of laughter startled him. He looked around the room only to find every student pointing, staring, and laughing at him. Confused and angry, Peter marched over to Manny's desk. He demanded that she give him an explanation. She just smirked and pointed to the TV screen.

Gone was the omnipresent morning fixture of the student body president. In her place was an image of himself stripped down to his underwear. Peter felt his cheeks burn from embarrassment. His jaw ticked. He glared down at Manny menacingly, but she remained strong and fearless. "You did this!" he barked at her smug face.

She stood up and poked his chest with a stern a finger. "No, Peter, this was all you."

The class watched their classmates' silent glare-off in complete curiosity and amusement. Suddenly, Peter knocked over his chair and rushed out of the room. Manny shrugged her shoulders and sat down, resting her hands on the desk like nothing had happened. However, she had trouble stifling a huge grin.

--

The halls started shrinking around him. He could still hear the laughter pouring out of the classroom. Scratch that, classrooms. The entire school was laughing at his expense. Out of sheer panic, Peter darted down the hallway. Just as he reached the doors, a voice halted his movements.

"Peter Michael."

Peter winced at the sound of his name. He began to twitch nervously. Stuffing his hands into his front pockets, Peter turned around to face his quizzical mother.

"I'd like to have a word with you," she commanded.

Peter hung his head in shame and followed her into the office. He sat down in the chair across from her desk, all the while hiding his face behind his hands.

Mrs. H stepped over to her TV and pointed at the screen. "You want to explain how this happened, why you're in your underwear screaming inappropriate things on the morning announcements?"

He swallowed before answering, trying to form his words carefully. "I don't know. I didn't do anything."

Mrs. H laughed bitterly. "Another lie. I'm beginning to think I've raised a compulsive liar." She shook her head and walked over to her desk. She sat down on the edge, directly in front of her son and stared down at him in an intimidating manner. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, "What really happened?"

"Nothing," he replied once again. "Somebody was playing a trick on me." _At least that part is true, anyway_.

A frown settled upon her face. "I'm so disappointed in you, Peter." She stood up and started for the door. Mrs. H was halfway out of the office when she heard him shout, "Wait!"

"Are you finally ready for the truth?" she asked. Peter nodded solemnly. "Good. Now tell me, does this have anything to do with Emma Nelson?"

Peter nodded his head once again and proceeded with his version of the story, only this time it was different. It was true.

--

Emma laid her head down on her desk. Looking over at Alex, with whom she shared her homeroom class, she said, "I still can't believe that actually happened."

"Yeah, but aren't you glad it did? I'd bet that right at this moment, camera boy is sobbing to his mother," Alex replied with a satisfied smirk. "Oh, how I'd love to see the look on his face right now."

At that moment, the school secretary entered the classroom and handed a note to the teacher. Mr. Perrino nodded and called Emma forward. Alex gave her a thumbs-up as she walked to the front.

"The principal would like a word with you, Ms. Nelson."

Emma leisurely strolled down the halls. She figured that Mrs. H could wait for a little bit, after all the doubt she bestowed on not only her boyfriend, but Emma herself. Smiling, Emma pulled out her cell phone. The person she called picked up after only one ring.

"Hey, Goldilocks, did it work?"

"Well, things didn't go exactly as planned…"

"Oh," Jay replied disappointedly.

Emma grinned. "It turned out better than we anticipated."

"That's my girl."

"Girls, actually," Emma corrected. "You really should thank Manny and Alex; especially Alex. This morning was her ultimate triumph."

Jay smiled. "I'll make sure to be nice to her, for today anyway," he joked. "So what's the verdict? Will Degrassi once again be graced with my awesome presence?"

"Ego much?" Emma teased with a chuckle. "I'm not sure yet; I'm supposed to be meeting with Mrs. H right now. I should get going, huh?"

"I'd hope so! I love you, Emma."

"See you later, stud." Emma snapped her phone shut. She still couldn't bring herself to say those three little words to him, despite all the feelings inside. She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and started for Mrs. H's office. She knocked on the door quietly.

"Come in!"

Emma walked into the office and sat in the empty chair next to Peter. He looked like he'd been crying. She felt sort of sorry for him, but still sent him an angry glare. Emma turned her attention back to the principal.

Mrs. H wore a frown. "Emma, I'm sorry I doubted you. Peter and I just had an enlightening little chat and it seems as if he's been causing trouble for you and your friends."

Emma glanced over at Peter again. He had buried his head within in hands shamefully. "I can't believe you actually told the truth," she muttered.

"He's been through enough, Emma, don't taunt him."

"Why shouldn't I?" Emma asked defiantly. "After what he tried to do to me in the washroom…he did tell you about that incident, didn't he?"

"Yes. I assure you for that he will be severely punished," Mrs. H responded in a steady voice.

Emma nodded her approval. "What happens to Jay?"

"Mr. Hogart broke school policy when he punched my son." Emma glared at Mrs. H, causing her to sigh before continuing, "Yet given the circumstances, I'll give him another chance."

Jumping out of her chair excitedly, Emma cheered, "Thank you Mrs. H!"

"I trust you'll relay the message to him. I expect to see him in my office tomorrow morning."

"Sure, no problem," Emma replied with a grin.


	24. Chapter 24

Emma skipped down the front steps, humming happily to herself. She stopped in her tracks at the incredible sight before her. Biting her lower lip, she let her eyes graze over the muscular arms and legs, shaggy brown hair peeking out of a baseball cap, and mirth-filled blue eyes belonging to the man leaning against his orange civic.

Jay watched Emma check his body out not-so-discreetly with amusement. "Like what you see?"

Snapping back to reality, Emma shook her head and continued walking towards him. Something seemed different, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it…oh yes, that's it. "Are you wearing shorts? And they're khaki, too…. Where is Jay Hogart and what have you done with him?" she teased.

"Cute, Goldilocks. Contrary to popular belief, I do own clothing other than jeans and t-shirts. Thanks for noticing," he replied with mock hurt.

Emma leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Whatever you say, Mr. Tough Guy," she responded and smirked.

Jay returned the smirk and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in close. He started to kiss her neck, making a trail up to her lips. Pulling back, he cupped her face with both hands and whispered, "I love you."

Emma smiled nervously as he looked into her eyes hopefully. She knew she had to break the tender moment before the feelings became too intense. "Do you want to hear the good news?"

Jay dropped his hands disappointedly. "Sure, Em. What happened?" he asked with a half-smile. _Why won't she say it back to me? I can see it there sparkling in her eyes_.

"Peter confessed to everything."

Truly shocked at this comment, Jay's jaw dropped. "How the hell did that happen?"

"Remember how I told you that things didn't go exactly as planned? After Mrs. H kicked us out of her office this morning, Alex must've slipped the tape to some AV nerd who put it on the morning announcements. The entire student body had the displeasure of seeing Peter in his undies."

"I've always pitied anyone who got on Lexi's bad side, myself included," he admitted. "She can be really ruthless sometimes."

"I guess so. Anyway, after Peter confessed everything to his mother, she called me into her office. You're back in!" she said excitedly.

"Yes!" Jay exclaimed as he picked up his beauty and twirled her around. _Huh, never thought that I would be so excited to get back into school._

Emma laughed as the world spun around her. Once he set her down, she looked at him seriously. "She has one condition, though. You have to meet her first thing in the morning for a nice little chat."

"Aww, do I have to?" Jay whined.

Emma bit her lip and nodded. "But I get you all to myself tonight," she responded huskily.

Jay wagged his eyebrows. "I like the sound of that." He opened the car door and ushered her in, taking no time to jump in himself and sped away.

--

Manny let out a squeal as she watched the happy couple through the front doors of the school.

Alex grinned as she slung her arm around Manny's shoulders. "It looks like our work here is done."

"I'll say," Manny replied happily. "I've heard that Peter is going to be grounded for the next half of his life."

"He gets to spend his afternoons scrubbing the washrooms, too."

"Eww, lucky him," Manny cringed.

Alex laughed at the disgusted expression on her friend's face. "Come on, Santos. I think this calls for a celebration. Want to hit the movies? Your pick, my treat."

"Who am I to turn down such an offer?" Manny hooked her arm through one of Alex's. "Lead the way, madam."

--

When the movie finished, Manny claimed that she was so hungry that her stomach was about to digest itself.

"Overdramatic much?" Alex teased.

"Always. I have to strengthen my acting skills every chance I get," Manny playfully responded.

"Of course. How about we grab some food at the Dot?"

"Sounds delicious, but this time I'm paying," Manny said as she grabbed Alex's hand and started pulling her to the car.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Alex muttered to herself.

--

Alex watched Manny eat with amusement. "You know, I don't think I've ever seen a girl eat so much food in one sitting. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen anybody eat that much, not even Jay. And he's a garbage disposal," she noted, gesturing to the mound of French fries and double cheeseburger adorning Manny's plate. There was also a large chocolate shake and a plate of onion rings keeping it company. "I'm glad I'm not covering this one," she teased.

Manny smiled as she swallowed a mouthful of fries. "I told you I was starving!"

"I guess so," Alex agreed with a laugh."

--

Alex drove Manny back to the Nelson-Simpson home after they finished eating at the Dot. As Alex turned off the engine, she looked over at Manny, who was smiling back at her. "This was fun, Alex; we should do this again."

"Hanging out together or eating insane amounts of food?" Alex questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Both," Manny replied with a laugh as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"Hey Santos, you have a little chocolate on your face," Alex commented as she pointed right above her lip.

"I do? Oh my gosh, how long has it been there?!" she gasped.

"Calm down, it's right…" she said as she leaned over and kissed Manny's lips "…here."

Pulling back in shock, Manny eyed Alex curiously. She watched the other girl fidget nervously, then leaned back in her seat, letting her gaze drift to the window. A million thoughts were dancing around in her head.

Alex took a deep breath to calm down. Smoothing her hair down, she bit her lip and carefully watched Manny, who seemed a thousand miles away. Instantly regretting what she had just done, Alex rested her head against the steering wheel and mumbled, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

Manny shook her head, but kept her eyes peeled to the window. "Why?"

"Well, I thought it was obvious. I like you, Manny." She paused briefly and then added, "More than a friend and the moment felt right." Alex's face fell when Manny started laughing hysterically. "I guess I was wrong," she said dejectedly.

Manny stopped her musings and turned Alex's face back to her own. "That's not what I meant, Alex. Why are you so sorry?"

"You turned away. I thought you were embarrassed."

Manny reached over Alex's lap and grabbed her hand. "Since Emma and Jay started dating, I've seen this different side to you. With Craig in Vancouver, I've been having…thoughts…about you and me. At first I was afraid of them, even ashamed, but soon I realized that they're not so bad after all. So I dumped Craig, as you know, because he obviously didn't care much about me. But you, I could just tell that you did," she admitted.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier? Why did you act as if you hadn't a clue?"

"And what? Let the whole world know that I, Manny Santos: slut of Degrassi was confused? That I was attracted to both guys and girls? Honestly, I wasn't ready to face my feelings then. I decided to hide them by carrying on as my usual, so-called ditzy boy-crazy self. Now? I think I'm ready to admit that I like you." Manny smiled before she added, "I liked that kiss a lot."

"You did?" Alex asked with a hopeful smile.

"Yeah," Manny finished as she leaned over and passionately kissed Alex. When they broke apart, Manny said with a smirk, "No doubt about it, I'm definitely bi." That confession made both girls laugh good-naturedly.


	25. Chapter 25

_Mmm, vanilla…_

The next morning, Jay buried his face into the luscious blonde locks currently taking residence upon his pillow. With a grin, he tightened his hold on her waist. He was careful not to add extra pressure because he didn't want to wake her. Watching Emma sleep had moved up the ranks of his favorite things to do, all be damned who called him a sap. Jay didn't care what they thought, not since Emma became a part of his life. He was blissfully happy. He brushed the hair off of her face and placed a kiss on her forehead. Emma stirred. _So much for my tenderness_. A sinister thought popped into his head. Jay ran his hand up Emma's leg and it came to rest on her side. He bit his lower lip and started tickling her like crazy.

Now fully awake, Emma squeaked in surprise. Upon hearing this, Jay continued to tickle her with extra effort. Emma had to jump off the bed and run to the corner of the room to catch her breath from laughing so hard. "You big jerk!" she teased.

"Maybe, but you love me anyway," Jay replied in a playful manner.

"You've got me there," she answered easily, not giving it a second thought. Jay's grin slipped and he looked at her seriously. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, Emma asked, "What? Is there something on my face?"

Jay shook his head. He took a few moments to craft his next question carefully. "Did you…did you just admit that you loved me?"

Emma took one look into those hopeful blue eyes and instantly began to melt. Honestly, how could she not give herself completely to this man? But the insecure side of herself kicked into gear, reminding her that if she were to admit her true feelings, he'd have the power to crush her completely, if he ever so felt like it. After all, that is what Sean had done when he left for Wasega. Emma was positive that Jay had no intentions of hurting her, especially after he'd reassured her so many times before. Yet her insecurities lurked within her so stubbornly, they were hard to break. Emma gulped as she realized that the time was now or never: give her heart to another completely and risk the pain, or hold herself back, never reaching the full potential of happiness.

Emma walked over to the bed and linked Jay's hands with her own. She looked down into his eyes and admitted, "Jayson Hogart, I am so completely head over heels in love with you." She leaned down to give him a sweet kiss.

Jay pulled Emma onto his lap and tucked some loose hair behind her ears. Giving her his best smirk, he whispered, "It's about damned time."


	26. Chapter 26

"You ready?" Emma asked looking back at Jay.

He was eyeing the front doors of Degrassi nervously. Chuckling to himself, he shook his head and looked back to Emma. "No sweat. It's nothing I haven't done before, Goldilocks."

"As many times as you have been kicked out of school, Hogart, I'd say you're a pro at this," Alex cut in, wrapping her arms around the shoulders of the happy couple. "Only this time you were innocent, in a manner of speaking."

"Thanks for bringing up my colorful past, Lexi," Jay replied sarcastically.

"Anytime," Alex smirked.

Emma grinned saucily. "Don't worry, stud. I love a man who is rough around the edges." She winked at him before entering the school. Jay watched her hips sway back and forth in a trance.

"Your girl is pretty hot," Alex commented. "Here's a tissue, you've got a little drool on your chin."

Still spacing out, Jay wiped at his chin. Finally Alex's words registered in his brain. "Watch it, that's my girl you're talking about there. But yeah, she's hot and she's all mine," Jay said possessively.

Alex laughed at him and pushed her sunglasses up onto the top of her head. "Take it easy, Romeo. I have my own girl now."

Grinning at Alex, Jay teased, "So you finally asked out Santos?"

"A girl never kisses and tells."

"You just did," he replied smugly before starting up the steps. Thinking better of it, Jay turned around quickly to yell, "Besides Lex, when did you ever abide by that crap?"

Alex laughed as he waved good-bye.

--

Fixing her hair, Manny glanced into her locker mirror and smiled. She turned around excitedly and hugged her friend. "Oh, Em! I'm glad you're here. I have something major to tell you…"

Emma raised an eyebrow and smirked at her best friend. "New love interest?"

Taken aback, Manny's face fell slightly. She then released a huge grin. "You know me too well."

"I'd sure hope so; we've only been friends since we were in diapers. So, are you going to spill about Alex or smile at me all day?" Emma teased.

"What?"

"Oh, please Manny. You just said yourself, 'I know you too well,'" Emma confirmed. Manny's mouth gaped open and shut quickly, reminding Emma of a fish. "Besides, I think it's cute. I could tell Alex has been crushing on you for a while now. I'm glad you're giving her this chance."

Manny pulled in Emma for a big bear hug. In her ear, she whispered, "You're the best friend a girl could ask for, Em."

"Same to you, Nemo." With a little wave, Emma walked to her class.

--

During lunch, four students found themselves at the center of attention. They supposed it had something to do with Jay's presence back at school. Rumors were still circulating about the atrocities he must have committed to have been kicked out of school. For this reason, most people wondered why Mrs. H suddenly let him back into school. It had only been a few days since he had been expelled. Did it have anything to do with the tape of Peter Stone that had been leaked on the morning announcements? Only five souls knew the truth on the whole matter, but not one of them had slipped a bit of truth. The Degrassi student body would have to settle for never knowing the true story, which was mostly satisfying. After all, who doesn't love the chance to speculate about juicy rumors and conspiracies?

Manny looked to her friends as an idea popped into her head. "I'm tired of this rumor crap. Let's give them something real to talk about."

Jay and Emma exchanged a confused glance and shrugged their shoulders. Alex, on the other hand, knew exactly what Manny was suggesting. "Are you sure about this?" she asked tilting her head to the side to gauge her girlfriend's courage.

"Definitely. I mean they're going to find out sooner or later, right? Jay and Emma here already know, so let's just get this over with now. Add some fuel to the gossip fires."

Alex smirked. "I knew I liked you for good reason." Manny smacked her arm lightly. "Kidding! Just kidding!" Alex protested.

Manny grabbed Alex and crushed her lips to her girlfriend's. The hushed cafeteria became eerily silent as all eyes were on the couple now making out unabashedly.

"Mmm, daddy like," Jay said as he watched the two brunettes. He suddenly felt an angry jab to the back of his head. "Hey! What was that for?" he whined to Emma.

"For being a perv!" she huffed.

Jay wrapped his arms around Emma's waist, pulling her in close. He kissed her pouty lips gently and said, "You know I only have eyes for you, Goldilocks."

--

Peter dunked a mop into a bucket and watched the filth disappear. Ringing it out, he made a long sweep across the floor, giving it a sparkly shine. He paused when he heard laughter.

"Well, isn't this the icing on my delicious cake of a day," Jay snickered. "You're doing a swell job there, Poindexter." He stopped to inspect the floor. "Oops, I spoke too soon. You missed a spot, right over there."

Peter rolled his eyes angrily. "Very funny, criminal. Just because I confessed to my mom about that afternoon in the washroom, it doesn't mean that I'm going to put up with your oh-so-insightful comments."

Jay crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow defiantly. "Is that so?"

Before Peter could respond, Emma laid a reassuring hand on Jay's shoulder. "Leave it alone, Jay. He's not worth it."

Glancing down into her big brown eyes, Jay reasoned, "You're absolutely right, babe. He's below us." Not another word would be spoken between the two boys again.

Jay draped his arm around Emma's shoulders, leading her to the parking lot. Once they were in front of his car, Jay pinned Emma to the door and began to kiss her hungrily. She kissed him back and ran her hands through his soft hair. "Mmm…I love the way you taste," Jay whispered as he brushed some of her blonder hair off of her face.

"Yeah, well I love you," she smirked in response. "Come on, let's go home."


	27. Chapter 27

A few months had passed since Jay was admitted back into school. His life couldn't be any better. He was earning respectable marks and he had the greatest girlfriend in the world. Emma's parents were finally beginning to warm up to the idea of them being together for the long run, which is just what he hoped for Emma and himself.

Manny and Alex enjoyed the blissful beginnings of their new relationship. At first, the boys at Degrassi were weirded out by the couple, because wasn't Manny the most boy crazy girl in school? Soon everybody started to come around to the idea of Manny dating a girl. In fact, many people couldn't deny their incredible cuteness that they had become the new 'it' couple. The pair even earned their first Hollywood-like couple stardom: they were referred to as 'Malex." Alex, of course, thought the name was ridiculous, but Manny was thrilled for it was one small step conquered on the road to becoming a famous actress…

Peter spent his afternoons cleaning the halls and washrooms with the janitorial staff. It seems he had gotten himself into more trouble with his mother, because he could now be seen working the morning shift, too. Although nobody knew exactly what Peter had done this time around, there were rumors flying around that it involved a pool and Heather Sinclair.

--

_I hear my name being called. I can't believe this is finally happening. Straightening my cap, I walk up to the podium and shake hands with Mrs. H. She smiles brightly before whispering in my ear, "I'm proud of you, Jayson." Mr. S hands me my rolled-up diploma and pats me on the back in support. I look back into the sea of faces to catch a glimpse of my golden girl. She blows a kiss in my direction, so I respond with my best smirk and a wink. As I move my tassel from the left side of my cap to the right, my mind races with thoughts of her. _

_Without even realizing it, she gave me the strength and guidance to become a better man. By giving me a second chance, she freed this completely different side of me that I had repressed for so long. Emma is my better-half, my soul, my love. She is my redemption. I love you, Goldilocks._

_As for the future? Nothing is certain, but I cannot imagine spending the rest of my life without her. She's stuck with me._

_Tomorrow, I think I'm going to give an old friend a call to see if he's still interested in a crazy idea we had about opening a car shop together..._


End file.
